NEW ORLEANS – A five-alarm blaze destroyed historic Coliseum Place Baptist Church in New Orleans, the oldest Baptist building in the city. By Keith Manuel Regional Reporter NEW ORLEANS – A five-alarm blaze destroyed historic Coliseum Place Baptist Church in New Orleans, the oldest Baptist building in the city. Although an official cause of the fire has not been reported, neighbors believe arson to be the cause. Police searched the red brick Gothic Revival styled church two weeks before because of a report of vagrants living in the building, according to neighbor George Bean. An anonymous official with the city confirmed that vagrants had been reported to be using the building. The same source speculated that the fire could have been set through the vagrants cooking food on an open fire or with candles. A similar situation resulted in two 100-year-old wharfs being destroyed in the city weeks earlier. Firefighters received the call at 1:38 a.m. and used 27 units and 87 firefighters to put out the blaze. The fire was so intense that twelve hours after the initial call firefighters were still battling hotspots at the church. Coliseum Place, built in 1854, has seen its share of hardship. During the … [Read more...]

DUBACH – Pastor Connie Smith may be confined to a wheelchair, but his congregation has never considered his disability a hindrance to their leader’s ministry. By Brian Blackwell Staff Writer DUBACH – Pastor Connie Smith may be confined to a wheelchair, but his congregation has never considered his disability a hindrance to their leader’s ministry. “Since Brother Connie has been here, we don’t even notice that he has a limitation,” Deacon William Green said of their pastor, who was called to Fellowship Baptist Church in Dubach last month. “His good qualities outweigh that.” Before Smith became  pastor at Fellowship Baptist, Connie Ward said the congregation was struggling with transition. Since then, Fellowship Baptist and Smith have been the perfect fit for one another. “The people’s attitude toward Connie (Smith) is what Fellowship Baptist is all about,” Ward, pastor of Zion Hill Baptist Church in Farmerville, explained. “To see God bring these two together has been a joy to my heart.” Smith’s journey to Fellowship Baptist is an amazing story indeed. If not for an accident on July 11, 1971, Smith may never have entered into the ministry. A former draft pick of the San Francisco … [Read more...]

OBERLIN – It’s not been easy but two women, one from a large Louisiana church; the other from a smaller one, each followed her husband into early retirement and volunteer ministry. They both say they’ve been blessed beyond every expectation. By Karen L. Willougbhy Managing Editor OBERLIN – It’s not been easy but two women, one from a large Louisiana church; the other from a smaller one, each followed her husband into early retirement and volunteer ministry. They both say they’ve been blessed beyond every expectation. Ivy (Mrs. Jim) Wyble of Cedar Crest Baptist Church in Baton Rouge used to work at a credit union; Susan (Mrs. Steve) Hayes of Amite Baptist Church in Denham Springs is a former church secretary. Their husbands knew they were being called into construction ministry; the wives only knew they were called to support their husbands. “I felt very unneeded,” Wyble said. Then God let her know, while watching a video about the Georgia Barnette Mission Offering, that her ministry would involve sewing with other woman – Wyble has been crocheting for perhaps 30 years. “It is so exciting how God worked everything out in perfect timing,” Wyble said. “I met the women on the video; one of them told … [Read more...]

BALTIMORE (BP) – Though frail and ailing, 87-year-old Billy Graham delivered a strong message of hope to more than 33,000 people gathered in Baltimore’s Camden Yards during the last night of a July 7-9 Metro Maryland Festival. By Shannon Baker Baptist Press BALTIMORE (BP) – Though frail and ailing, 87-year-old Billy Graham delivered a strong message of hope to more than 33,000 people gathered in Baltimore’s Camden Yards during the last night of a July 7-9 Metro Maryland Festival. “Unfortunately, I’m getting too old to do this, and I thought on my way out, this may be the last opportunity to preach to an audience like this,” said the elder Graham, who was driven to the platform in a golf cart. In a historic moment for Marylanders, the evangelist shared the stage with longtime crusade associates Cliff Barrows, now 83, and George Beverly Shea, now 97, in vintage crusade fashion, offering a clear grasp of the Gospel of Jesus Christ through messages and songs. The trio has ministered twice before in Baltimore, most recently in 1981 and in 1949, the year that Graham’s signature crusade ministry first garnered national attention. It was then that Graham’s famous Los Angeles tent meetings catapulted … [Read more...]

Week of July 17, 2006 By Rhonda Havens Section Editor Potpourri LONGVILLE –  First church: The 2 Tenors in concert; July 30, 10:45 a.m.; free admission; Stuart Graves, pastor. BATON ROUGE – Istrouma church:  Legacy Five in concert; July 22, 7 p.m.; free admission; Stuart Rothberg, pastor. LAKE CHARLES – East Ridge church:  Charles Quarles, guest speaker; July 23, 8:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.; Danny Busby, associate pastor; Alan Weishampel, pastor. BUSH – Hebron church: Dennis Swanberg, guest speaker; Aug. 5, 6 p.m.; free admission; Sam Greer, pastor. BASTROP – Twin Oaks church: “New Age Awareness” conference; July 24-26, 6:30 p.m. nightly; Jimmy Furr and Johnny Sanders, guest speakers; Jimmy Yocum, pastor. BASTROP – Twin Oaks church: “Family Night” sponsored by Morehouse association; Aug. 1, 6:30 p.m.; Joe Aguillard and Chuck Quarles, guest speakers; Jerry Price, director of missions; Jimmy Yocum, pastor. LAKE CHARLES – First church: Joe Aguillard, guest speaker; July 30, 11 a.m.; John Paul White, pastor. BATON ROUGE – Goodwood church:  Praising Hands, a deaf ministry, to perform; July 30, 6 p.m.; Mitch Harris, pastor. RUSTON – Cook church:  Associational Church Leadership Training … [Read more...]

PINEVILLE – Donahue Family Church has begun enrolling students for the inaugural fall semester for the Louisiana Baptist congregation’s school, Cenla Christian Academy. By Brian Blackwell Staff Writer PINEVILLE – Donahue Family Church has begun enrolling students for the inaugural fall semester for the Louisiana Baptist congregation’s school, Cenla Christian Academy. “From a Christian standpoint, public schools are getting progressively more secular,” said Glen Whatley, school administrator and worship pastor at Donahue Family Church. “We decided to be proactive and give our students a biblically-based, high-quality education. “We’re not doing this to say that schools in Rapides Parish are bad,” Whatley continued. “But we will provide smaller classes, discipline and biblically-based curriculum.” Classes for students in kindergarten through grade eight will be located in the Family Life Center at Donahue Family Church. Whatley said one unique feature is a video monitoring system inside each classroom. This digital video camera allows parents to access their child’s classroom via the Internet through the use of a security code. Orientation Day for all students is Aug. 10. The first day of … [Read more...]

Week of July 17, 2006 Baltimore named Strategic Focus City BALTIMORE, Md. (BP) – Though the signing and celebrating of the covenant still needs to take place, it’s official: Baltimore will become the North American Mission Board’s newest Strategic Focus City. Darrel Davis, ministry assistant for Crossover Triad 2006 for the Baptist Convention of North Carolina, said some 2,000 Crossover Triad volunteers played a part in the more than 800 salvation decisions made during the combined Crossover and ICE initiatives, and that 26 new churches will be planted because of the effort. Baltimore Baptist Association pastors officially have agreed to NAMB’s November 2005 invitation to form a partnership to focus national resources in local church evangelism and church planting efforts in the Baltimore area. The actual launch of the Strategic Focus City strategy in Baltimore is scheduled for 2008 or 2009. The first two Strategic Focus cities, Chicago and Phoenix, implemented their strategic plans in 2000. They were followed by Las Vegas and Boston in 2001, Seattle and Philadelphia in 2002, Miami in 2003-2004 and New York City in 2003-2005. Cleveland, Ohio, the newest city, currently is being implemented as a … [Read more...]

NEW ORLEANS – A new evangelistic plan emerged here from the confluence of strategic thinkers at the Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans, Louisiana Baptist Convention and North American Mission Board. By Karen L. Willoughby Managing Editor NEW ORLEANS – A new evangelistic plan emerged here from the confluence of strategic thinkers at the Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans, Louisiana Baptist Convention and North American Mission Board. The New Orleans metropolitan area has been divided into 27 zones, each with at least one Southern Baptist church in it. Churches, associations and state/regional conventions across the SBC will be asked to partner with each zone. “What happens then is up to the churches and pastors in that zone and the entity – church/association/convention – that takes responsibility for it,” said Joe McKeever, BAGNO director of missions. “Whether the task is gutting out and rebuilding homes and churches, or doing ministry and evangelism in the neighborhoods, or a hundred other approaches, will be strictly up to the participating churches.” The plan was made public at the July 12 pastors’ gathering at Oak Park Baptist Church in New Orleans. “If it was mentioned once … [Read more...]

ANACOCO – The children, cross-legged on the floor, watched as soft music played in the background while Jackie Gillespie of Sparrow Chalk Art Ministries etched a scene in chalk. Parents filling the pews watched, too, as intently as their children, while the picture took shape. By Tammy Sharp Regional Reporter ANACOCO – The children, cross-legged on the floor, watched as soft music played in the background while Jackie Gillespie of Sparrow Chalk Art Ministries etched a scene in chalk.  Parents filling the pews watched, too, as intently as their children, while the picture took shape. Finished, Gillespie stepped back and began to sing, a cappella, His Eye is on the Sparrow, while the audience gazed at the canvas, a peaceful, natural scene with a broad expanse of fluffy clouds framed by flowers and trees. Then, the lights dimmed, darkened, and went out altogether, except for one spotlight on the drawing.  As Gillespie’s husband Richard adjusted the lights, the colors in the picture first faded, then leapt out, then faded again until suddenly hands appeared in the center of the clouds. As the background gave way to pitch black, the hands of God, cradling a tiny sparrow, became brighter and brighter … [Read more...]

NEW ORLEANS (BP) – Each day the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary campus looks more like a school and less like a construction site. By Gary D. Myers New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary NEW ORLEANS (BP) – Each day the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary campus looks more like a school and less like a construction site. Students and student families began moving back to campus in early June with the reopening of The Manor and Courtyard Apartments. The sounds of children playing have replaced the sounds of hammers and heavy machinery. After months of work, the campus is clean, safe and green – an oasis in a devastated city. “After the heartache of watching our entire seminary family move away in October, it is a joy beyond compare to see student families moving back to the campus,” NOBTS President Chuck Kelley said. “I never knew how precious the sight of children climbing all over the playground equipment would be.” Seminary contractor Mike Moskau said the restoration process is approximately 80 percent complete. Faculty homes are scheduled to reopen to professors and their families in July. The Oaks, a new two-bedroom student apartment complex, also will open in July. School … [Read more...]