The Louisiana Baptist Message will continue to operate under a separate board of trustees after a proposal to move the newspaper within the state convention structure was soundly rejected last week. The Louisiana Baptist Message will continue to operate under a separate board of trustees after a proposal to move the newspaper within the state convention structure was soundly rejected last week. The proposal to change the newspaper structure easily was rejected during a called business session at last week’s annual Louisiana Baptist Convention. The vote was at least two-to-one against the idea on a show-of-ballots vote. Approval of the move would have required a two-thirds vote in favor. The action capped business at the annual meeting and sent a Baptist Message search committee back to the drawing board to find a replacement for retiring Editor Lynn P. Clayton. Clayton has announced plans to conclude more than 27 years as editor at the end of 2005. His service of almost three decades was honored last week during the annual report of the newspaper to the convention. A pair of former Baptist Message trustee chairs offered words of reflection. “It’s my pleasure to tell you a little something about my … [Read more...]
Pastors encouraged to ‘reach one more for Jesus’
Just as the believers of the early Christian church were known for changing their world for Christ, Louisiana Baptists should have the same reputation, Fred Luter said. By Brian Blackwell LBM Newswriter Just as the believers of the early Christian church were known for changing their world for Christ, Louisiana Baptists should have the same reputation, Fred Luter said. “When people see (Louisiana Baptists), they’ll say ‘there they are,’” Luter said during the Louisiana Baptist Pastors’ Conference at McClendon Baptist Church in West Monroe last week. “They’ll say ‘there are those people who are turning this community upside down.’” Luter, who serves as pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, was one of six speakers at the conference, held prior to last week’s annual Louisiana Baptist Convention. In his sermon, Luter cited Acts 1, which chronicled how a small number of believers rapidly expanded the early Christian church. Luter said the passage reveals three things that occur when a believer is empowered by the Holy spirit. They are: • First, a Christian becomes a new person. “These were the same believers who just a few days earlier were running scared,” Luter said of … [Read more...]
Week of November 21, 2005
Weekly announcements Potpourri START – Start church: Casey Johnson, guest speaker; Dec. 4, 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Jeff Smart, pastor. GONZALES – Central church: Bible Conference; Dec. 5-7, 7-9 p.m.; Usama Dakdok, featured speaker; conferences are free; Jay Avance, pastor. MANSFIELD – First church: Stephen and Jane Milam, IMB missionaries, guest speakers; Dec. 4, 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.; Roy “Thumper” Miller, pastor. JENA – First church: Ladies Ensemble and The Men’s Quartet in concert; Dec. 4, 6 p.m.; Dominick C. DiCarlo Jr., pastor. DEQUINCY – First church: Suzanne Kelly, accompanied by Matt Dixon on guitar and Sharon Graham on piano, in concert; Dec. 4, 6:30 p.m.; Mike Paris, interim pastor. PINEVILLE – Louisiana College: Baptismal Rally, sponsored by North Rapides Association; Nov. 27, 6 p.m. in the Granberry Conference Center; Herb Dickerson and Joe Aguillard, guest speakers; Jason and Tina McCorvey, worship leaders; Herb Dickerson, director of missions; Joe Aguillard, president. Youth BATON ROUGE – Woodlawn church: Christmas program presented by the preschool choir; Dec. 4, 6 p.m.; Adam Holcomb, minister of music; Tommy G. Middleton, pastor. WEST MONROE – New Chapel Hill church: … [Read more...]
North Carolina congregation celebrates 250th year of ministry
When the bells chimed at 10 a.m. Nov. 6, Sandy Creek Baptist Church near Liberty, N.C, inaugurated its 250th year in ministry. When the bells chimed at 10 a.m. Nov. 6, Sandy Creek Baptist Church near Liberty, N.C, inaugurated its 250th year in ministry. Inside the white country church, pastor Travis Brock and guests from as far away as Georgia, Texas and Illinois exchanged greetings and waited in anticipation of the event, a full year in the making. The congregation and choir sang old standards such as “Amazing Grace” and “I Love to Tell the Story” with both smiles and tears. “It is humbling to think what God has done in this place,” Brock said before the celebration. “One pastor I spoke with said that God had done more through this church than through any other since Pentecost.” When the Sandy Creek church was founded, the United States did not exist. The year was 1755, and two recent converts to the Baptist faith made their way into a very rural and isolated Randolph County. There, with 16 others, they founded the first Separate Baptist Church in the South. Shubal Stearns and Daniel Marshall both believed that they would be well received among the settlers in North Carolina who favored emotional, … [Read more...]
World of religion
Week of October 3, 2005 Louisiana College news The Louisiana college business programs have been awarded reaffirmation of their accreditation, school officials announced recently. Louisiana College business programs are accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs. “This is another sign of the strength of our academic program,” LC President Joe Aguillard said. “This reaffirmation underscores the quality of the business curriculum.” Louisiana College is one of the smallest programs to receive the accreditation, said Bruce Cofer, interim chair of the school’s Division of Business. “It is quite an honor to be recognized nationally as a high-quality business program,” he said. For information about the school’s business programs, call (318) 487-7422. Poverty on the rise The number of Americans living in poverty rose to 37 million in 2004, an increase of 1.1 million from the previous year, Census Bureau figures indicate. The number represents 12.7 percent of the American population and marks the fourth straight increase in national poverty. Meanwhile, Census Bureau figures also indicate that household income remained flat in 2004, and the number of people without health insurance rose to … [Read more...]
Post-hurricane landscape – how is a person to cope?
He and his wife had been planning to build a home on their property in lower St. Bernard Parish. “People hear about the disaster on the news, but they can’t know the sort of wreckage it’s caused in your life or the lives around you. You see it, touch it, smell it.” International Bible Society booklet “Suffering ... cannot be explained or solved with words. ... The mystery of pain and suffering can only be answered with a life that refuses to despair, refuses to hand one more victory over to the forces of No, but instead makes itself an instrument of Yes, gives itself in love and compassion to alleviate pain and suffering. We may be driven to speculate upon, brood over, agonize over the problem of suffering, but ultimately and essentially, we are to make ourselves instruments of its alleviation. That is what Jesus did. This is what we are to do.” Edna Hong “Our challenge is to have faith – in failure, in success, in whatever life brings.” Jean Blomquist C. Lacy Thompson LBM Associate Editor He and his wife had been planning to build a home on their property in lower St. Bernard Parish. For the time being, they were living in a trailer on the … [Read more...]
From hugs to clothing, evacuees heartened at relief center
She rummages through the boxes of stuffed animals before finally settling on one. Breanne then picks up the stuffed bear, hugs it and holds it close as she continues to scour the piles of toys waiting for new owners. She rummages through the boxes of stuffed animals before finally settling on one. Breanne then picks up the stuffed bear, hugs it and holds it close as she continues to scour the piles of toys waiting for new owners. Breanne is 9 – or to be more accurate and use her own words, “Nine-and-a-half and fixing to turn 10.” Hurricane Katrina may have robbed her of all her possessions, but it did not take her joy. “If I still have my doggie and my kitty, I’m happy,” Breanne says. Fortunately for her, Breanne’s golden retriever, Daisy, and her cat, Gracie, made it through the hurricane unscathed, as did all of Breanne’s family. Still, like so many others, they were left with few earthly possessions. And so, they came to Grace Memorial Baptist Church in Slidell, a disaster relief center offering hurricane victims clothing, food and supplies – all free of charge. In the church’s parking lot, a 100-foot tent covers the boxes and racks of donated clothes that become part of the wardrobes of hurricane … [Read more...]
Disasters can be the opportunity for building a new state
Things cannot get worse for Louisiana,” many said just after Hurricane Katrina made her unwelcome visit to the southeastern part of the state. But they did: Hurricane Rita. Things cannot get worse for Louisiana,” many said just after Hurricane Katrina made her unwelcome visit to the southeastern part of the state. But they did: Hurricane Rita. The double-whammy leaves people expecting new and more encouraging words from ministers about how to make it through the pain and loss. But it seems about all that can be said was said after the first hurricane left hundreds of thousands of people fleeing angry Katrina. We may all scramble for new insights and more encouraging words and thoughts, but about all we can do is refresh our memories on what we have already heard and read. There is no question, the impact of the sister hurricane will not be known for three to five years. There was already a slow, outward migration of our citizens, but Katrina caused the largest population migration in the history of the United States and Rita apparently added to that migration. Some will return, but how many? How many businesses will leave? How many will rebuild? How long before new businesses are willing to come to … [Read more...]
Louisiana churches assess damage, count their blessings
Steve James admits it was difficult worshipping at a Monroe-area church Sept. 25. By Brian Blackwell LBM Newswriter Steve James admits it was difficult worshipping at a Monroe-area church Sept. 25. Like many other Southwest Louisianians, the pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles evacuated to higher grounds before Hurricane Rita made landfall in the state on Sept. 24. However, on this particular Sunday, James wasn’t preaching from the pulpit but was worshipping with other believers, unaware of how many of his staff members and congregation fared after the hurricane. “That Sunday morning was real tough,” said James. “I already knew about the church’s condition, but I wondered how all our members were doing. I enjoyed worshiping at another church, but I wanted to be in my own church.” Trinity’s auditorium suffered the most damage. Debris, water and what is left of two stained-glass windows filled the structure soon after the hurricane passed through the Lake Charles area. James estimates it could be six to eight months before the auditorium is restored. However, the fellowship hall, student, preschool and children’s areas, church offices, and recreational building escaped major … [Read more...]
Weekly annoucements
Week of October 3, 2005 Potpourri JENA – Nebo Ball Field: “A Stirrin’ in the Sticks” area wide crusade; Oct. 16-21, 7 p.m. nightly; Jack Daniels, evangelist. WEST MONROE – McClendon church: Legacy Five in concert; Oct. 15, 7 p.m.; $10 per ticket; Rick Crandall, pastor. SHREVEPORT – Trinity Heights church: “Coffee and Tea with Starla” women’s ministry event; Oct. 22, 8:30 a.m.- 12 p.m.; $10 per ticket; deadline Oct. 12, call Ilona Davis at (318) 221-2695; Billy Crosby, pastor. ALEXANDRIA – Baptist Temple church: Southern Plainsmen in concert; Oct. 16, 6 p.m.; Bill Broadwater, pastor. DUBACH – Lincoln Parish Expo center: “Harvest for Christ” area wide crusade; Oct. 23-27, 7 p.m. nightly; Mark Lanier, music; Jack Daniels, evangelist. Homecomings HEBERT – Welcome Home church: Oct. 16, 10:30 a.m.; Bobby Ensminger, guest speaker; Bill Gueringer, pastor. FARMERVILLE – Crossroads church: Oct. 16, 10:45 a.m. with dinner on the grounds to follow; Tim Williams, guest speaker; Mark Norwood, pastor. JENA – Midway church: Oct. 9, 10:30 a.m., lunch to follow; Rick Feazell, pastor. MANIFEST – Pisgah church: 133rd; Oct. 9, 11 a.m.; Joe Cruse, guest speaker; Jesse Watkins, interim pastor. Revivals EFFIE – … [Read more...]
