Atheist and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins’ latest book, The God Delusion, is an attempt to “shore up” the faith of atheists, contended evangelical Oxford theologian and renowned apologist, Alister McGrath. Atheist makes case to prop up dwindling faith, McGrath says March 1, 2007 By Marilyn Stewart NEW ORLEANS -- Atheist and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins’ latest book, The God Delusion, is an attempt to “shore up” the faith of atheists, contended evangelical Oxford theologian and renowned apologist, Alister McGrath. McGrath, who serves as professor of historical theology and senior research fellow at HarrisManchesterCollege, Oxford, made the comments Feb. 23 at the Evangelical Philosophical Society meeting at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. The event was co-sponsored by the seminary’s theological and historical studies division, and was held in tandem with the Greer-Heard Point-Counterpoint Forum. “I believe Dawkins’ book was really written to persuade atheists that their faith is still valid,” said McGrath. Dawkins’ other well-known writings include The Selfish Gene and The Blind Watchmaker and promote an evolutionary view of nature that excludes any notion of God. McGrath said Dawkins’ work has … [Read more...]

Serendipity plays a role in many of the world’s greatest discoveries, and this was no less the case for biblical archaeologist Gabriel “Gaby” Barkay during a dig he led in Jerusalem 30 years ago. FORT WORTH, Texas(BP) – Serendipity plays a role in many of the world’s greatest discoveries, and this was no less the case for biblical archaeologist Gabriel “Gaby” Barkay during a dig he led in Jerusalem 30 years ago. Barkay never would have guessed that a pesky child with a hammer would reveal the resting place of the oldest piece of biblical text ever discovered. During a lecture at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Barkay took a crowd of 200 on a journey that began with slides of St. Andrews Church of Scotland, within view of Old Jerusalem. It was on the grounds of that church, erected in 1927 on a rocky knoll on the Valley of Hinnom (Ketef Hinnom), where Barkay oversaw an archaeological dig in the mid- to late-1970s. “I was looking for less-looked-at subjects: places of extra-rural, para-urban land uses,” Barkay said, describing the reasons why he chose that location as he was developing his doctoral dissertation. “I asked myself, ‘If I were a patriarch, where would I put a defensible place? Where would I put a cemetery … [Read more...]

Certain her husband, Jimmy Downs, deacon at North Acres Baptist Church here, was experiencing a mid-life crisis when he told her he wanted to start a motorcycle club, Gail Downs refused to let him buy a motorcycle for two years. MINDEN – Certain her husband, Jimmy Downs, deacon at North Acres Baptist Church here, was experiencing a mid-life crisis when he told her he wanted to start a motorcycle club, Gail Downs refused to let him buy a motorcycle for two years.       About five years ago, North Acres Baptist hosted a missions fair to generate interest in missions. Among those present was one man who belonged to the Christian Motorcycle Association. Downs thought a motorcycle club would be a perfect way to reach people on the fringe of church involvement, he said. The only problem was that he didn’t own a motorcycle.       “We eventually bought one,” he said, revealing that now his wife is also involved in the motorcycle ministry and enjoys riding herself.       “Our goal is to build relationships with like-minded riders within the basic guidelines of Christian fellowship,” he explained. “We don’t actually call ourselves a Christian group, but we … [Read more...]

First Baptist Church here is the “poster child” that showcases advantages of building a new worship center. OPELOUSAS – FirstBaptistChurch here is the “poster child” that showcases advantages of building a new worship center.       “Hidden” two blocks behind the courthouse, to use longtime Pastor Perry Hubbs’ word, First Baptist also struggled with a small building and minimal parking space. Perhaps 200 people attended Sunday worship, but it took two services to squeeze that many people into a building constructed in the early 1950s.       The church bought 12 acres of land next to Interstate 49 in 2000, and in 2003 built a 40,000-square-foot, multi-purpose, $2.3 million, first-phase worship/education/recreation facility.       Today, more than 500 people participate in Sunday morning worship.       “Now that we’re here, everyone knows us,” said Hubbs, pastor since 1992. “This has given us the visibility we didn’t have.”       First Opelousas was the site in mid-March of the semi-annual church building conference, an LBC Cooperative Program ministry also sponsored by LifeWay Christian Resources and the North American … [Read more...]

When Harvey and Jennifer Sparks accepted God’s call to missions among a people group in Mozambique in 2004, they didn’t know they were a church’s answer to prayer. BELLVIEW, Fla. (BP) – When Harvey and Jennifer Sparks accepted God’s call to missions among a people group in Mozambique in 2004, they didn’t know they were a church’s answer to prayer.   First BaptistChurch in Belleview, Fla., had been praying for several years that God would send missionaries to the Koti, a people group of about 65,000. Before the Sparkses came along, the Koti had no known access to the Gospel. Churches like Belleview, with an average attendance of around 500, show that congregations of all sizes can impact the world through prayer.   “Prayer works, and as a result of that, we have recognized that prayer is the priority,” says Ron Walker, Belleview’s pastor for nearly 20 years.   “We [don’t] have to be a big church to pray.”   During the past 10 years, the church has partnered with the International Mission Board through an effort called PRAYERplus, which links churches with people groups who have been strategically identified by overseas field leadership.   Through their partnership with the … [Read more...]

Southern Baptists and other believers across the state had an opportunity to invest in their marriages – and get several good laughs at the same time – by attending a conference here at Journey Fellowship Church conducted by internationally respected marriage and family life expert Gary Chapman. SLIDELL – Southern Baptists and other believers across the state had an opportunity to invest in their marriages – and get several good laughs at the same time – by attending a conference here at Journey FellowshipChurch conducted by internationally respected marriage and family life expert Gary Chapman. Author of the best-selling book, The Five Love Languages, Chapman, using both scripture and humor, led couples through sessions that focused on communication, love, initiating positive change, making sex a mutual joy, and sharing constructive criticism. “Couples who don’t share their lives find their marriages empty,” Chapman told a packed audience early on in the conference. Communication is the most important ingredient to intimacy, he said, emphasizing that many people choose not to reveal what’s going on in their hearts and minds to their mates. If couples could simply share three things with one another on a … [Read more...]

GuideStone Financial Resources adopted new higher monthly income limits for applicants to the Adopt An Annuitant ministry which will allow more persons to qualify for financial assistance. DALLAS — GuideStone Financial Resources adopted new higher monthly income limits for applicants to the Adopt An Annuitant ministry which will allow more persons to qualify for financial assistance. Effective immediately, the new guidelines approved by the trustees raise the monthly income limits to $1,500 for single applicants and $2,000 for married applicants. In addition to enhancing the Adopt An Annuitant program, GuideStone is also releasing its Cooperative Program allocation to be used for other Southern Baptist ministries.        “We are excited to be able to amend the guidelines so that more individuals will qualify for assistance and that those who have served so faithfully will be eligible for increased benefits in the future,” GuideStone President O.S. Hawkins said in his report to trustees.        In addition to the increased income guidelines, trustees also approved increased amounts for ministers or their widows who have extremely low incomes and more than 30 years of service. These … [Read more...]

An interesting letter to the editor appeared in the March 1 edition of The Times-Picayune, the daily newspaper for the New Orleans metro. The writer, apparently a Roman Catholic, expressed her frustration, “I was appalled to see that St. Mark Catholic Church in Chalmette had not been cleaned out yet. The Archdiocese of New Orleans should have called the Baptists. They would have cleaned it out, no questions asked, as they have been and still are doing at other locations in St. Bernard Parish.” An interesting letter to the editor appeared in the March 1 edition of The Times-Picayune, the daily newspaper for the New Orleans metro. The writer, apparently a Roman Catholic, expressed her frustration, “I was appalled to see that St. Mark Catholic Church in Chalmette had not been cleaned out yet. The Archdiocese of New Orleans should have called the Baptists. They would have cleaned it out, no questions asked, as they have been and still are doing at other locations in St. Bernard Parish.”       This woman’s thoughts about calling up the Baptists to get the job done are a common theme in the New Orleans/St. Bernard/Gentilly area. Southern Baptist volunteers from every state in the union and some foreign … [Read more...]

Imagine a prominent conservative Christian publicly announcing that he has renounced heterosexuality and will henceforth and forever be homosexual. Imagine a prominent conservative Christian publicly announcing that he has renounced heterosexuality and will henceforth and forever be homosexual. Add to the scenario the leader declaring he is dedicated to promoting the glory of gayness and encouraging others to become homosexual. Now try to imagine the mainstream media ignoring such an announcement.       Try as I might, I cannot for the life of me, imagine the mainstream press failing to report such news.       Instead, there would be a media firestorm. The news would spread fast and furious from sea to shining sea – even if the leader was prominent only on a regional or state level.       If the mainstream media types would be quick to pounce on the news of a Christian leader coming out of the closet, and I believe they would, do you think they would be as eager to cover a prominent homosexual activist who embraced Christianity and renounced his or her homosexuality?       You need not ponder the aforementioned question … [Read more...]

Just for fun, my husband recently asked me some pre-marriage questions from a book, “Getting to ‘Really Know’ Your Life-Mate-to Be, by Bobb and Cheryl Biehl. Just for fun, my husband recently asked me some pre-marriage questions from a book, “Getting to ‘Really Know’ Your Life-Mate-to Be,by Bobb and Cheryl Biehl.   Examples were:   -- “Who do you think is responsible to do the following work around the home: Car repairs? Cooking? Fixing things? House cleaning?”   -- “Who will balance the monthly bank statement?”   -- “How do you feel about birth control?”   Some questions weren’t so easy, though. One asked, “How would you improve on either one of our social lives?”   The exercise got me thinking about how satisfying a good marriage is.   In response to one of my columns titled “Going Beyond Same Sex Marriage,” I was e-mailed some thoughtful questions from a homosexual reader. One question challenged my contention that bringing homosexual couples into the marriage equation would result in the “deconstruction” of marriage and would remove something good and positive from the society.   My critic argued that those of us in the battle to retain … [Read more...]