The George Lucas universe may be back in balance with the release of Star Wars, Episode III, but a real conflict that began a decade before Darth Vadar drew his first evil breath, still rages. By Lowell Snow Freelance speaker/writer The George Lucas universe may be back in balance with the release of Star Wars, Episode III, but a real conflict that began a decade before Darth Vadar drew his first evil breath, still rages. Worship Wars, Episode I began during the 1960’s Jesus Movement as baby boomers began pushing for radical changes in worship, bringing youth musicals, lively choruses and variety to the order of service. Episode II followed in the eighties and nineties with praise teams, seeker friendly services, and PowerPoint. These changes have helped many churches grow, but survey after survey reveals that the folks in the pew are worldlier now than then. At a time when society is desperate for authentic spirituality, Christians have learned to grow bigger churches but not bigger Christians. What is needed is an Episode III to bring these Worship Wars to a climactic and victorious conclusion. It already may have begun. Evangelical Christianity presently is experiencing a groundswell of … [Read more...]
So, what is corporate prayer – and why is it important?
Exactly what is corporate prayer – and why is it seen as such an important element for the contemporary church? Exactly what is corporate prayer – and why is it seen as such an important element for the contemporary church? Essentially, corporate prayer is the coming together of two or more believers for the purpose of focusing on a specific need or needs. It clearly is a biblical practice, with leaders usually citing Jesus’ statement in Matthew 18:19 – “If two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” (NIV) Leaders also cite the example of early Christians joining together in constant prayer. One ministry resource describes a benefit of corporate prayer as the setting aside of “personal agendas to hear the heart of God and pray in agreement with him.” Another notes that corporate prayer moves one away from selfishness, helps clarify God’s will and builds a unity of purpose and vision and love among believers. Numerous resources exist related to corporate prayer. Materials are available at LifeWay Christian Bookstores or via the Web site for LifeWay Christian Resources of … [Read more...]
As the soldiers serve overseas, this church serves the families back home
Family ministry at First Baptist Church of Belton, Texas, includes helping meet the needs of a special breed of single parents – military spouses from nearby Fort Hood who function in that role temporarily. Family ministry at First Baptist Church of Belton, Texas, includes helping meet the needs of a special breed of single parents – military spouses from nearby Fort Hood who function in that role temporarily. When a parent in the armed services is deployed and the rest of the family is left at home, the remaining parent must learn how to fill multiple roles and single-handedly balance competing schedules, ministry leaders at the church note. Recognizing that, the church is working to offer practical help for the parents thrown into those roles. At the same time, they are not ignoring the children who find themselves now living with one parent. “We offer a parenting class because we see the need to teach them how to be single parents for a time,” preschool minister Tricia Kimbrough says. First Baptist Church provides a course called Enjoy, Not Destroy for military spouses, teaching them how to discipline their children properly when the at-home spouse is pressed into the role of being the only … [Read more...]
World of religion
Week of June 13, 2005 Historic marriage vote An historic vote to legalize same-sex marriages in California ended in a surprising loss for homosexual activists earlier this month, giving social conservatives a rare victory in the state legislature. The California assembly defeated a same-sex marriage bill three times in two days, preventing the assembly from becoming the first legislative body in the United States to pass such a proposal. Needing 41 votes, it received support from only 37 members in the third and final. Thirty-six opposed it. In two earlier votes, the bill had fallen six votes short on identical 35-37 votes. In the months leading up to the vote, the bill’s sponsor had expressed optimism that it would pass. But in the end, it failed. Nevertheless, it was an historical vote. No legislative body in the U.S. ever had voted on a bill legalizing same-sex marriages. Opponents said the bill violates both the will of the people and the California constitution. In 2000, California voters passed an initiative explicitly banning same-sex marriages. It passed by a margin of 61 percent to 39 percent. The state constitution prohibits the legislature from overriding a voter-backed initiative. Thus, even if the … [Read more...]
Meeting set to act on LBC retirement center plan
Baptist Retirement Center trustees have scheduled a called meeting of its membership at the end of the month to adopt a final plan of dissolution of the corporation. Baptist Retirement Center trustees have scheduled a called meeting of its membership at the end of the month to adopt a final plan of dissolution of the corporation. If approved, the action will signal an end to a long process that began with sale of the retirement center in 2003. Information regarding the meeting has been mailed to all Louisiana Baptist churches, which are defined as the members of Baptist Retirement Center of Arcadia, Inc. The churches are being asked to attend the meeting or to return a proxy form that will appoint Baptist Retirement Center trustee Chair Bobby Dye of Bossier City to vote for them at the called meeting, set for June 30 at 10 a.m. at the Arcadia Town Hall in Arcadia. At the meeting, members will vote on a dissolution plan as set forth in the letter to churches. Under the plan, Dye and fellow retirement center trustee Robert Spicer of West Monroe will act as co-liquidators of the Louisiana Baptist corporation. Assets from the sale of the retirement center then will be disbursed as follows: • All debts and … [Read more...]
‘A living miracle’: Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola once was characterized as the bloodiest prison in America – but my, how times have changed
A sense of anticipation fills the dining room inside Building A on the grounds of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. By Brian Blackwell LBM Newswriter A sense of anticipation fills the dining room inside Building A on the grounds of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. As each of the 66 soon-to-be seminary graduates pass by family members, some of the men give a “thumbs up,” while others hold up a finger to credit God in heaven. On this day, the graduates of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary extension program at the state’s only maximum security prison have completed one of the biggest accomplishments in their entire lives. “No matter how bad a day you’ve had, something better is coming,” Seminary President Chuck Kelley tells the prospective graduates – the largest class ever at Angola – during the commencement exercises. “You don’t have the opportunity to see the effect you’re having on the world. “What you’re doing here is becoming evident all over the world,” he continues. “Where there is Jesus, there is hope. People say in other places I go that if it can happen (at Angola), it can happen (at their places).” Kelley has described the seminary program at Angola … [Read more...]
Religious leaders launch new political campaign to end hunger in America
Religious leaders from around the country and across the political spectrum have launched a massive political campaign to end hunger in America. Religious leaders from around the country and across the political spectrum have launched a massive political campaign to end hunger in America. They are calling on Congress to pass a hunger-related bill and asking President George Bush not cut federal funding of poverty and hunger programs. “Arguably, it is almost the whole of all organized religion in the United States,” Bread for the World President David Beckmann said of the religious leaders lobbying against hunger. “This is the beginning, we feel, we hope, of a new movement to overcome poverty.” A group of more than 600 activists participated in a recent weeklong conference on poverty and hunger. It was organized by Bread for the World, a Washington-based Christian anti-poverty group. The conference was designed to mobilize religious organizations. During the session, some participants traveled to Capitol Hill in a lobbying effort to protect federal food assistance programs from funding cuts and structural weakening. For many, the spiritual apex of the conference occurred when more than 1,500 people … [Read more...]
Annual Lottie Moon offering closes at second-highest giving total ever
Following a year when Lottie Moon Christmas Offering giving shattered old records and removed appointment restrictions, Southern Baptists raised nearly that amount again. Following a year when Lottie Moon Christmas Offering giving shattered old records and removed appointment restrictions, Southern Baptists raised nearly that amount again. All in all, Southern Baptists contributed almost $134 million through their annual offering for international missions. The offering is collected each year on a June 1-to-May 31 basis. Thus, when the 2004 Lottie Moon offering closed its books, gifts totaled $133,886,221. The total is the second-highest in offering history. However, it still fell short of last year’s $136 million offering and well shy of the $150 million giving goal for the year. The 115-year-old offering is used to support more than 5,200 missionaries on the field. In addition to the $133.8 million Lottie Moon total, Southern Baptists also have given more than $16.3 million to relief efforts following a deadly earthquake/tsunami in southern Asia and the Pacific Rim regions at the close of 2004. “We are overwhelmed with this testimony of Southern Baptists’ heart for missions and desire to reach our … [Read more...]
Study offers definite clues for satisfying prayer life
For those who have wondered what makes for a satisfying personal prayer life, a new study of Protestant ministers offers some definite clues. For those who have wondered what makes for a satisfying personal prayer life, a new study of Protestant ministers offers some definite clues. To begin, very few Protestant ministers are satisfied with their personal prayer lives – indeed, just 16 percent of them are, a new study by Ellison Research of Phoenix indicates. Another 47 percent of ministers are somewhat satisfied with their personal prayer lives, notes the study conducted for LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. Meanwhile, 30 percent of the 868 Protestant church pastors included in the national survey indicated they were somewhat dissatisfied with their personal prayer lives. Seven percent of the pastors said they were very dissatisfied. There was a substantial difference in percentages reported by age group. Just 9 percent of pastors under age 45 are very satisfied with their personal prayer lives, compared to 13 percent among ministers age 45 to 59 and 30 percent among pastors 60 or older. The youngest pastors actually are more likely to be very dissatisfied with their … [Read more...]
And now – how NOT to dispose of an eight-ton whale
What you end up with is usually determined by how you go about doing it. Case in point – how do you go about disposing of an eight-ton whale? What you end up with is usually determined by how you go about doing it. Case in point – how do you go about disposing of an eight-ton whale? Well, in 1970 (I’m late on my internet surfing) a 45-foot long, eight-ton whale washed up on a beach in Lane County, Ore. Imagine the distinct odor eight tons of rotting whale emits, not to mention the threat to the health of any living creature within several hundreds of yards of the rapidly-decaying carcass. The lot of removal of the whale fell to the Oregon State Highway Division. No one knows if the governor had it in for the folks in that division, but assuming that does seem appropriate. Engineers of the division, after considering several options, came up with what they thought would be a fail-proof plan to rid the beach of their whale of a problem. They decided to blow the smelly carcass to smithereens with dynamite. They figured that sea gulls and crabs quickly would consume the resulting tiny bits of whale blubber – and all traces of the sea behemoth would disappear. So, the engineers calculated how much … [Read more...]