It is challenging enough to explain why God allows suffering. But the problem seems particularly difficult when suffering befalls righteous persons. It is challenging enough to explain why God allows suffering. But the problem seems particularly difficult when suffering befalls righteous persons.  So the question arises, “Why do bad things happen to good people?”  Strictly speaking, this is not a well-framed question.  The Bible affirms that no one but God is truly good (Matt. 19:17; Rom. 3:10, 23).  Also, we often experience things which appear to be bad at first, such as Joseph’s imprisonment (Gen. 50:20) or Paul’s thorn in the flesh (2 Cor. 12:7-10), which God works out for good (Rom. 8:28).  But great men of God like Job, Jeremiah, Habakkuk, and James wrestled with this issue, and believers today do, too. We can understand why God gives ungodly persons the punishment they deserve, but why does He allow the righteous to suffer? In order to deal adequately with the aforementioned question, we must understand that Christians are not exempt from suffering. Some TV preachers proclaim the “health wealth gospel”—that God always blesses faithful believers, so only ungodly persons suffer problems and setbacks.  … [Read more...]

Compassed about by lakes and the Gulf of Mexico and veined by bayous large and small, the churches in this Baptist association understand what it means to be fishers of men. BAYOU BAPTIST ASSOCIATION – Compassed about by lakes and the Gulf of Mexico and veined by bayous large and small, the churches in this Baptist association understand what it means to be fishers of men. The association ministers to an area that – except for Houma – is comprised of small communities and even smaller churches in the parishes of Assumption, St. James, Terrebonne, LaFourche, and the mostly aquatic southern portion of Jefferson, including the seven-mile-long Grand Isle. “Every church is a little bit different,” said Joe Arnold, director of missions for the association. In all there are 31 churches, mostly with 50 or fewer in membership. “One has a membership of nine,” Arnold said, and just became a church this past October. “A part of what is happening is that a lot [of churches and people] have struggled after the storm,” the DOM said. “The people are one of the best assets in this area,” he continued. “The Cajun people are real friendly and family-oriented.” Fishing, and eating, are the major attractions for the … [Read more...]

In this hurricane-ravaged community, rebuilding homes and lives has become the mission of the moment. DULAC – In this hurricane-ravaged community, rebuilding homes and lives has become the mission of the moment. In all, the Bayou Baptist Association has helped repair more than 100 homes and mobilized more than 1500 volunteers since the 2005 hurricane season, said Johnny Friloux, Disaster Relief Coordinator for the association. But more than that, God is working through the ministry to change people’s lives. “We’re saving souls down here because of this work,” he said. “God is really good.” Friloux can remember a particularly fruitful day in the disaster relief business when, a crew member knocked on the door of a home in a neighborhood where Friloux had three other projects in the works. “We discovered that the home was completely destroyed, yet an elderly gentleman in a wheelchair was living there with his stepson and his stepson’s wife,” Friloux said. “We went in immediately and asked if we could rip out walls and get rid of the mildew, which we did,” he continued. A few months later, as the crew was finishing the job, the stepson had a heart attack, and Friloux had an opportunity to … [Read more...]

“Tie optional,” might bring a sigh of relief from Joe Arnold, who has good reason for preferring clip-ons. HOUMA – “Tie optional,” might bring a sigh of relief from Joe Arnold, who has good reason for preferring clip-ons. At his first church after seminary, Arnold, then 29, was surprsied one day when he got a call from a lady who asked if he knew how the last preacher had left. “She told me they’d choked him with his tie,” he said. “He was supposed to have resigned one Sunday morning, but he called for the benediction instead of resigning and a deacon rushed up to the podium and grabbed his tie. Another deacon had to pull [the first one] off.” Arnold remembers that church every time he puts his tie on, he said. “Down here we don’t wear ties very much in the pulpit,” he said of the Bayou Baptist Association, formerly the Adolphe Stagg Association, where he has been Director of Missions since June, 2006. “I’ve always been humbled to know that the Lord has allowed me to pastor,” Arnold said of his career in the ministry, going on to explain that he has pastored some great churches and felt honored to see people become Christians and leaders. Watching his children come to know the Lord, seeing them … [Read more...]

he Gulf Coast of Alabama is blessed with a usually warm, emerald-green ocean for swimming and sugar-white, soft-sand beaches for sunning. It’s a paradise that draws 6 million people a year, but 70 percent of them don’t know Christ. Sharing Jesus with vacationers on the AlabamaGulfCoast ORANGE BEACH, ALA. – The GulfCoast of Alabama is blessed with a usually warm, emerald-green ocean for swimming and sugar-white, soft-sand beaches for sunning.   It’s a paradise that draws 6 million people a year, but 70 percent of them don’t know Christ. Jeff and Thea Ford are North American Mission Board (NAMB) resort missionaries who head up Gulf Area Resort Ministries in the twin resort cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Ala., located right on the Gulf of Mexico.  Jeff’s ministry is supported not only by NAMB, but also by the Baldwin Baptist Association and the Alabama State Board of Missions. “Someone once told me that lost people are most open to the Gospel two times in their lives,” Ford says.  “The number one time is during a crisis.   And the second time is during times of recreation, leisure or vacation.” The Fords are only two of more than 5,300 missionaries in the United States, Canada and their … [Read more...]

Jake Westbrook has been a model of consistency for the Cleveland Indians. EDITORS’ NOTE: BP Sports columnist Tim Ellsworth recently visited Florida to do a series of stories on spring training as baseball players get ready to begin a new season. WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (BP) – Jake Westbrook has been a model of consistency for the Cleveland Indians. Over the past three seasons, Westbrook has started at least 30 games and pitched more than 210 innings each year. His win totals over the same period have been 14, 15 and 15. Indians manager Eric Wedge knows he can give the ball to Westbrook, who will pitch seven solid innings and give the team a good chance to win most of the time. For Westbrook, that consistency doesn’t stop when he steps off the field. He strives for the same outcome when it comes to his spiritual life as well. “Just like baseball’s a routine, you have that routine in your life where you spend time with Jesus in prayer, in quiet time and in reading the Word,” Westbrook said. “When you do that, everything else starts to fit in place.” Westbrook will be the first to admit he doesn’t always achieve that goal of spending time with the Lord daily, but it’s still something for which he … [Read more...]

Love and respect. That is what was evident when more than 50 fathers took their daughters out for a Date Night at Copeland's restaurant for a special evening sponsored by the Men's Ministries of East Bayou Baptist Church of Lafayette, where Mike Walker is pastor. LAFAYETTE – Love and respect. That is what was evident when more than 50 fathers took their daughters out for a Date Night at Copeland’s restaurant for a special evening sponsored by the Men’s Ministries of East Bayou Baptist Church of Lafayette, where Mike Walker is pastor. Jonathan Moore took his 4-year-old daughter Ashlynn, and later said it was a night the two will remember for a long time. “We made it a big deal,” Moore said of the event. “We got her hair and nails done and I bought her a corsage just like we were going on a date. “When I gave her the corsage, it hit home,” Moore said. “If anything that night, she knew she was important to me.” Jonathan and his wife Heather have been married six years and have two other children. “We wanted to show the daughters how a man is supposed to treat them,” Moore said of the night. Moore heads men’s ministries at East Bayou, where about 1,700 people attend one of three worship services each … [Read more...]

April 2007 1 – Local church Bible drill emphasis 1 – SBC seminaries Sunday 6 – Good Friday 6 – Louisiana Youth Ministry Network Friday Forum. LBC contact: Kevin Boles. 8 – Easter Sunday 13-14 – Children’s Honor Choir, TallTimbers BaptistConference Center. LBC Contact: Judy Fussell 15 – Cooperative Program Sunday 15 – Associational Bible drills 17 – So You Wanna Be Published day-long writer’s conference. Cost: $30/person. Joanne Brechtel: 318-442-7728. 17 – Conflict Coach workshop, Baton Rouge. 17 – EKG Workshop, Alexandria. LBC Contact: Beau Colle. 19 – Associational Bible Drill report deadline. 20 – Youth Ministry Network Friday Forum, BaptistBuilding. 20-21 – Collegiate Leadership Conference, Tall Timbers. 24 – Louisiana Baptist Foundation trustees meeting, Alexandria. Contact Wayne Taylor: 877-523-4636. 28-29 – SBC Bivocational Ministers Convention, Denver, Colo. LBC contact: Gary Mitchell. 23 – Empowering Kingdom Growth-Louisiana Interpretation, Woodridge Baptist, Shreveport, and Jefferson Baptist, Baton Rouge. 24 – Empowering Kingdom Growth-Louisiana Interpretation, District Eight Association Office, Natchitoches. 26 – Empowering Kingdom Growth-Louisiana … [Read more...]

LAKE CHARLES – An associational  Financial Issues Workshop is planned for April 16 at Sale Street Baptist. At 9:30 a.m., “Planning financial support of pastors, other ministers, and church employees,” a workshop for ministers, church committee members and lay leaders. At 1 p.m., a two-hour “Retirement Choice Seminar” for anyone participating in a GuideStone retirement plan. JP Miles, Carey Baptist Association director of missions, is hosting the event, which is sponsored by GuideStone Financial Services and LBC. PINEVILLE – Tioga First Baptist plans a Spring Fling from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, April 22 at the church for the community. Free Games, Jumpers, Food, Fun. Rain date: Sunday, May 6. The church’s fourth edition of On Eagles Wings cookbooks are now available. Cost: $15 mailed USPS. David Cranford is pastor. WESTLAKE – First Baptist distributed 20 boxes of food to feed 70 people, and “mountains” of clothing March 17, and have plans to do more of the same April 21. Senior adults meet at 9:30 a.m. Tuesdays to visit shut-ins. SMAC is new at First Westlake – Sunday Morning After Church fellowships. The first April 1, started by watching youngsters gather Easter eggs. Larry Thompson is … [Read more...]

Staff changes Robert C. Rollins Jr. is new pastor at Harmony Baptist, Glenmora. It is his first pastorate. Kenny Blackwell, new pastor April 15 at Mt. Hope Baptist in Oakdale, from First Baptist, Calion, Ark. James (wife Linda) Tew, new music minister at First Princeton, from laity. Pam (husband Cecil) Marr, new music minister at FirstOilCity. Corey Olivier to New Orleans from NWBA as BCM director. Doug Burnley retired as chaplain at Schumpert. Mark Carroll, new as pastor at Burning Bush, Walker. Steve Jones, new as youth pastor at Emmanuel Denham Springs. James Cowell is pastor. Lonnie Cook, new as youth minister at Hebron Denham Springs. Joe Alain is pastor. Randy Powell, new as education and music minister at Walker Baptist, Walker. Richard Blue is pastor. Jeff Hurst, new as pastor at Grace, Bastrop. Kenny Duchesne, new pastor at Beulah, Farmerville. Revivals and related events Prewitt Chapel, Hornbeck, revival April 15-18. J.D. Brown is interim pastor. Calvary Baptist, Mangham, revival April 15-18 with Alan Miller as guest speaker. Services 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, and 7 p.m. Monday-Wednesday. Gerry Courtney is pastor. Topsy Baptist, Lake Charles, revival April 15-18 with Evangelist … [Read more...]