BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – It’s an 11-hour drive from Birmingham to Houston, but Pastor Fred Luter makes a round trip uncomplainingly twice a month. By Karen L. Willoughby Managing editor BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – It’s an 11-hour drive from Birmingham to Houston, but Pastor Fred Luter makes a round trip uncomplainingly twice a month. That’s where part of his Franklin Avenue Baptist Church congregation is. Another group is in Baton Rouge (five hours from Birmingham) and some have stayed near the devastated Franklin Avenue Church in New Orleans, (six hours from Birmingham). Luter preaches in all three cities at least twice each month. “We’re one church in three cities,” Luter said in a cell phone interview, with a wry grin in his voice. He was driving to his temporary home in Birmingham from a midweek meeting with pastors in New Orleans. “So many people are still displaced.” With these words, Luter’s voice changed to one filled with concern and caring. “I miss the people so much. It’s been real tough on me as a pastor.” Franklin Avenue Baptist held its breath under eight feet of water in the wake of Katrina’s wrath, but it’s beginning to breathe again as members find each other. On Jan. 1 Luter began … [Read more...]

MANSFIELD – The day started like any other that Oct. 23 in 1990. Gary Hobbs was working his usual Tuesday night shift of 3 to 11 p.m. for the Mansfield police department. By Brian Blackwell Staff writer MANSFIELD – The day started like any other that Oct. 23 in 1990. Gary Hobbs was working his usual Tuesday night shift of 3 to 11 p.m. for the Mansfield police department. At 9:20 p.m., Hobbs was accompanying a parole officer to issue a probation warrant for the arrest of Todd Bass. However, Bass resisted the arrest and fatally wounded the parole officer. Bass then fired six shots at Hobbs. Hobbs retaliated, delivering nine rounds. He suffered only a minor wound to his wrist and missed a week of work. The felon was sentenced to life in prison for first-degree murder. Fourteen years later, Hobbs said he reached a point in his life of personal misery and emptiness. He then visited Southside Baptist Church in Mansfield on June 16, 2004. It was the first time Hobbs had darkened the doors of a church building. Four days later, during the Sunday morning service, Hobbs accepted Christ as his personal Savior. “Everything changed from that point,” he said. “It’s amazing how you can walk into a … [Read more...]

ALEXANDRIA - The best way for the Baptist Message to tell the story of what God is doing through His people in Louisiana is to have reporters in every association, Editor Kelly Boggs says. ALEXANDRIA - The best way for the Baptist Message to tell the story of what God is doing through His people in Louisiana is to have reporters in every association, Editor Kelly Boggs says. He has directed Managing Editor Karen Willoughby to develop a group of regional reporters – ideally at least one in each of the state’s 46 associations – to help tell the story. “God is doing amazing things in Louisiana, things that will encourage and bless you – and challenge you,” Boggs said. “With regional reporters, we’ll be able to tell more of those stories better than ever before.” Regional reporters do not need to be professional journalists, Willoughby said; she expects to coach those with an interest in newswriting and a desire to serve God with their writing. “I’ve been training writers via email, phone and fax for at least 10 years,” Willoughby said. “It’s thrilling to me to see how quickly people can improve their writing with a bit of direction, and it’s exciting to think of reporters all around the state using their … [Read more...]

SHREVEPORT - The wife of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who died last week, exhibited all the traits of a pastor's wife should have, said several Louisiana women married to pastors. By Karen L. Willoughby Managing editor SHREVEPORT - The wife of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who died last week, exhibited all the traits a pastor’s wife should have, said several Louisiana women married to pastors. “She was very supportive of her husband,” Prescola Williamson said. She’s the wife of Philip Williamson, pastor of New Zion Baptist Church in Shreveport. “She stood by him in the good times and the bad. ... Mrs. King gave that unspoken message of peace in the face of danger or spiritual warfare.” Mrs. Williamson spoke of the telephone calls Mrs. King answered at the King home - calls filled with rage and hate - and how unfailingly she responded to the caller with dignity and respect, telling them that she would pass on to her husband their message. “Her courage was so strong,” Mrs. Williamson said. “She was always there with her husband. That encourages me, that whenever my husband do things, I need to be there with him, supporting him.” Coretta Scott King was very family-oriented, the pastor’s wife … [Read more...]

NEW ORLEANS (BP) – Pastors in St. Bernard Parish have taken steps to expand worship opportunities in the New Orleans-area parish where Hurricane Katrina sent floodwaters crashing through their sanctuaries Aug. 29. By Keith Manuel Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Algiers NEW ORLEANS (BP) – Pastors in St. Bernard Parish have taken steps to expand worship opportunities in the New Orleans-area parish where Hurricane Katrina sent floodwaters crashing through their sanctuaries Aug. 29. Before Katrina, approximately 67,000 people lived in the New Orleans-area parish. Since the storm, the pastors estimated 500 residents have returned to live, but thousands of temporary workers are there. Beginning Feb. 12, Poydras Baptist Church at the lower end of the parish will host one worship service, while another service at the upper end of the parish will be held at a location in Chalmette yet to be determined. Only First Baptist Chalmette and Delacroix Island Baptist churches have had any type of meetings, but neither in their buildings. The Chalmette congregation meets on Saturday mornings in Baton Rouge at Florida Boulevard Baptist Church, along with others from the parish, in services led by Pastor John Jeffries, … [Read more...]

ALEXANDRIA – Since 1965, the Southern Baptist Convention has encouraged its churches to give attention to the issue of race relations on the second Sunday of February. In 2000, the emphasis was changed to emphasize racial reconciliation. By Kelly Boggs Editor ALEXANDRIA – Since 1965, the Southern Baptist Convention has encouraged its churches to give attention to the issue of race relations on the second Sunday of February. In 2000, the emphasis was changed to emphasize racial reconciliation. The shift in emphasis was motivated, in part, by the overwhelming passage of a 1995 resolution on racial reconciliation by messengers at the SBC annual meeting in Atlanta, Ga. The resolution included an apology to “all African-Americans for condoning and/or perpetuating individual and systematic racism in our lifetime…” It also expressed contrition by adding, “…and we genuinely repent of racism of which we have been guilty, whether consciously or unconsciously.” Messengers in Atlanta also affirmed to “hereby commit ourselves to eradicate racism in all its forms from Southern Baptist life and ministry.” While our nation – and the SBC - has come a long way in the area of race relations, I doubt that anyone … [Read more...]

When it comes to experiencing tragedy on a personal level, I am in kindergarten. By Kelly Boggs Editor When it comes to experiencing tragedy on a personal level, I am in kindergarten. Through almost 20 years together, my wife and I have both experienced  relatively good health. As I write this, all of my children are “clothed and in their right minds.” Keep in mind that two of my four kids are teenagers, so the previous sentence could change before I put the final period on this column. I have not had to bury a parent, sibling, or any in-laws. I have experienced no major losses in my life. As a pastor, whenever I was called on to minister in time of devastation or sorrow, I was keenly aware of my tenderfoot status on the trail of tragedy. After only a month in Louisiana, I am reminded anew that I am but a novice when it comes to acute adversity. Rarely a day has gone by that I have not been confronted with the tragedy wrought by the twin terrors, Katrina and Rita. When I talk to a pastor in South Louisiana or read about a church in New Orleans, my response is always the same – stunned silence. Each time that I encounter the scars left by the storms, I am reminded that I have no answers. … [Read more...]

NEW ORLEANS - When religious leaders here met to voice their concerns to city leaders, it was on the steps of the devastated Franklin Avenue Baptist Church. By Karen L. Willoughby Managing editor NEW ORLEANS - When religious leaders here met to voice their concerns to city leaders, it was on the steps of the devastated Franklin Avenue Baptist Church. Franklin Avenue’s pastor, Fred Luter, and David Crosby, pastor of New Orleans First Baptist, joined with Jewish, Muslim, Protestant and Catholic religious leaders – 20 in all – to call city leaders to action. “The summons, which seemed to contain equal doses of tough love and compassion, came from an extraordinary assembly of religious leaders speaking with a single voice not heard in New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina,” wrote Bruce Nolan in the Feb. 3 issue of the Times-Picayune, New Orleans’ daily newspaper. Catholic Archbishop Alfred Hughes initiated private talks with Luter – both are members of the Bring New Orleans Back Commission – and others, which led to the press conference at Franklin Avenue church, Crosby said. The site was chosen because it was such a vivid example of the destruction seen across Greater New Orleans, Crosby added. “When … [Read more...]

SHREVEPORT – New Zion Baptist Church isn’t trying to become a large church, but rather a great church, said Pastor Philip Williamson. By Brian Blackwell Staff writer SHREVEPORT – New Zion Baptist Church isn’t trying to become a large church, but rather a great church, said Pastor Philip Williamson. Since Williamson became pastor at the Shreveport church in 1998, Sunday morning worship attendance has grown from 80 to 135. Williamson attributes the growth to its evangelistic thrust in the community. “The whole idea is every member is involved in evangelism,” he said. “Even if our members aren’t witnessing to someone directly, they can invite someone to visit their Sunday school class. If we get them involved in Sunday school, they will build relationships and eventually may accept Christ as a result.” That evangelistic focus involves the predominantly African-American congregation in missions on all levels – their Jersusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. Last year, New Zion Baptist accepted the Acts 1:8 Challenge. Launched in May 2004, the Acts 1:8 Challenge is a call for churches to move to a higher level of missions commitment by cooperating with their local association, state … [Read more...]

ALEXANDRIA – More than 800 students from at least 38 of Louisiana’s colleges and universities gathered Feb. 3-5 at the Holiday Inn Conference Center for their annual evangelism conference. By Karen L. Willoughby Managing editor ALEXANDRIA – More than 800 students from at least 38 of Louisiana’s colleges and universities gathered Feb. 3-5 at the Holiday Inn Conference Center for their annual evangelism conference. Sometimes riotous, sometimes penetrating, the Friday night worship – led by Downhere, of Canada – positioned the students for the reality check given in his sermon by young evangelist Jarrett Stevens of Florida. “Evangelism,” Stevens said, “begins with the question, ‘Is the world still good?’ ... If you withdraw from the world on your campus, if you separate ‘good’ and ‘not good,’ you become divided and, at best, ineffective.” Stevens preached from Matthew 9:9 on three types of divided people: fakers, sellers and judges. Ana Chellino of Baton Rouge, a student at Louisiana State University, said she got much more from the conference than she had expected. “It really hit home,” she said. “What he said was it’s okay to branch out. You need Christian friends but it’s not good if that’s … [Read more...]