LAFAYETTE – For Cherrie Blackwell, the EvangeCube is like a Discover Card – she doesn’t leave home without it. By Brian Blackwell Staff writer LAFAYETTE – For Cherrie Blackwell, the EvangeCube is like a Discover Card – she doesn’t leave home without it. “The first time I used an EvangeCube was during Super Bowl XXXVI in New Orleans,” said Blackwell, who works for Lagniappe Ministries in New Orleans. “Now, we carry one with us all the time and even give them away.” Blackwell is one of thousands who have used the EvangeCube as a witnessing tool in the United States and hundreds of other countries. Similar in appearance to the Rubik’s Cube, the EvangeCube helps walk people through the gospel presentation using pictures. This witnessing tool utilizes seven pictures that present the gospel through a series of flips. Flip one way, and show people man’s separation from God. Flip again, and you’ll see Jesus stepping from the tomb. “This is very fundamental and simple,” said Mike Greenberg, EvangeCube strategic partnerships specialist, during a breakout at the recent Louisiana Baptist Convention Evangelism Conference. “This is a tool for any person in the pew. It’s simply sharing the … [Read more...]

PINEVILLE - Pastor Keith Dickens rubbed two foot-long blocks of wood against each other in one of three sermon illustrations. By Karen Willoughby Managing editor PINEVILLE - Pastor Keith Dickens rubbed two foot-long blocks of wood against each other in one of three sermon illustrations. If Jesus wants you to go in this direction, and you go in the opposite, that creates friction, Dickens explained. But when you go in the direction Jesus wants you to go, there’s no friction and everything goes so much more smoothly. That illustration made an impression on me last week when I visited Donahue Family Church, a Southern Baptist congregation – they give 5 percent of their undesignated offerings to missions through the Cooperative Program, the SBC’s acclaimed method of supporting global missions. I visited Donahue Family Church the day after I moved into my new-to-me home because it seemed to be the nearest Southern Baptist church. I’ll be visiting churches nearly every week as part of my job. The thought occurred to me that you might like to know what’s going on in other worship services, and besides, describing those services would be another way of telling stories of Louisiana Southern Baptists. … [Read more...]

ALEXANDRIA – It’s 7:45 on a Saturday morning and a line forms 40 persons deep. By Brian Blackwell Staff writer ALEXANDRIA – It’s 7:45 on a Saturday morning and a line forms 40 persons deep. Fifteen minutes later, Cal Jones steps to the microphone. “This is a great day for the Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief program and ya’ll are the reason,” the Louisiana Baptist Convention disaster relief director tells 150 persons attending the Feb. 4 training session at the Baptist Building in Alexandria. Each person completed training in three areas – an introduction to the American Red Cross, an overview of the Southern Baptist Convention manual and a session for individual units. Those people were trained to work on chaplaincy, shower, chain saw and feeding units. In addition to the general training, 25 people completed an additional 10 hours of training on Friday and Saturday afternoon to receive certification as a chaplain. “By the end of the session, each person was able to wear the (Southern Baptist) disaster relief training patch, which is vital because you can’t get into a lot of areas without the patch,” Jones explained. The patch is a copyrighted logo and can be earned only by completing … [Read more...]

ALEXANDRIA – At least 200 people are expected for the 2006 Drama Festival, set for Feb. 24-25 at Louisiana College. By Karen L. Willoughby Managing editor ALEXANDRIA – At least 200 people are expected for the 2006 Drama Festival, set for Feb. 24-25 at Louisiana College. Wesley Brainard of Oklahoma, who studied mime with Marcelle Marceau, has been tapped as guest clinician for the annual event now in its fifth year. “The youth at my church [Koran Baptist in Haughton] performed using doweling rods this past Sunday for the call to worship,” said Patti Yeatts, drama festival coordinator. “When they finished, most of the congregation were in tears and hands were lifted in praise to God. “Their leaders, Keith and Denice McFarland, had learned this unique ministry at our first drama festival,” Yeatts continued. “That is the excitement and purpose of this festival, to present the Gospel in unique and varied ways.” The drama festival is one of several special interest events planned to minister to the varied needs of Louisiana Southern Baptists, said John Yeats, LBC director of communications. “A drama ministry has a way like no other of taking the precious truths of God’s Word and making them … [Read more...]

PINEVILLE – For Jerry Love, missions is a passion. By Brian Blackwell Staff writer PINEVILLE – For Jerry Love, missions is a passion. Each Sunday evening, he and five other men at Kingsville Baptist Church in Pineville instill that passion into 20 boys at the Central Louisiana church who participate in Royal Ambassadors. “RAs allows our boys to understand missions work going on all over the world,” said Love, who teaches fourth through sixth graders. “They see different ways to share the gospel and understand missions work is not just telling someone about Christ from the pulpit.” Royal Ambassadors is the missions education organization for first through sixth grade boys. The organization actually started with Woman’s Missionary Union in 1908 and was led by that organization until it became the responsibility of the former Brotherhood Commission in 1957. The Southern Baptist program reaches the young men for Christ and leads them to become ambassadors for Christ by developing biblical character. Each week RAs learn about missions on the local, state, national or international level. Boys also are encouraged to participate in missions projects. In fact, they can earn badges for the … [Read more...]

Week of February 13, 2006 Potpourri WOODWORTH – Tall Timbers Conference Center: Ministry Assistants Retreat (for secretaries); March 7, 8:30 a.m. registration - 4 p.m.; Cindy Townsend, guest speaker; $30 per person, includes lunch; to register or for more information, call Karen Gillen at (318) 445-7306; or e-mail karen.gillen@pinevillepark.org; Sam White, camp manager. WESTLAKE – Westlake First church: The Louisiana College Chorale in concert; March 5, 6:30 p.m.;  Jay Hellums, minister of music; Larry Thomspon, pastor. GOLDONNA – Goldonna church:  “After God’s Own Heart” women’s seminar; Feb. 17, 5:30 p.m. supper with seminar to follow; Jeanine Bozeman, guest speaker; Doyle McGrew, pastor. BOYCE – St. Clair church: The Pine Ridge Quartet in concert; Feb. 24, 7 p.m.; free admission; love offering accepted; Ronnie Parks, pastor. MANY – Alford Heights church: The Down East Boys and The New Sounds of Salvation in concert; Feb. 17, 7 p.m.; Wayne Chance, pastor. RIDGECREST – Ridgecrest church:  Women’s Conference; Feb. 25, 8 a.m. registration – 2:30 p.m.; Donna Douglas, guest speaker; no registration fee; for information, call (318) 757-4076; Preston Holder, pastor. BASTROP – First church: … [Read more...]

BEAVERTON, Ala. (BP) – Another rural Baptist church in Alabama was damaged by fire Feb. 11, increasing to 10 the number of churches in recent days that have been torched by arson. By Baptist Press staff BEAVERTON, Ala. (BP) – Another rural Baptist church in Alabama was damaged by fire Feb. 11, increasing to 10 the number of churches in recent days that have been torched by arson. The latest church, Beaverton Free Will Baptist, was set  on fire during the daytime – the first church thus far not set on fire at night. It was severely damaged. “We have found significant evidence to determine that this fire was deliberately set,” Alabama State Fire Marshal Richard Montgomery said. “We do not know if the fire is directly related to any of the other fires.” All of the churches have been Baptist. Five are predominantly black churches, five predominantly white. Four of the 10 churches were Southern Baptist. All the churches are located in a group of closely associated counties west and southwest of Birmingham. “Our prayers are with the Beaverton Free Will Baptist Church in Lamar  County as the congregation must now deal with the aftermath of the  destruction of their facilities,” Rick Lance, executive … [Read more...]

Week of February 13, 2006 GuideStone’s assets reach new high ... DALLAS (BP) – As the financial books closed on Dec. 31, GuideStone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention attained a new all-time high in total organizational assets of $8.9 billion. The increase in assets was due to significant growth in retail and institutional investments, retirement rollovers, increased contributions from participants and the investment growth in assets. GuideStone assets closed at $8.3 billion in 2004 and at $7.3 billion in 2003. The 13 GuideStone Funds available to Southern Baptist participants turned in a positive performance for 2005 as well as positive returns since their inception on Aug. 27, 2001. (For additional information about GuideStone Funds, visit www.GuideStone.org.) Rainer inaugurated as LifeWay president ... NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – Thom S. Rainer began his tenure as LifeWay Christian Resources’ ninth president by stating that the 115-year-old organization stands at a crossroads. “We can choose to ignore the realities of the changing culture around us, of the post-Christian era we are entering, and of the profound challenge of being the world’s largest Christian resource … [Read more...]

MIDLAND, Texas – Reflecting a cornerstone in its commitment to missions, First Baptist Church in Midland gives more than 30 percent of its undesignated offerings to mission causes, including 14 percent to the Cooperative Program. By Karen L. Willoughby Managing editor MIDLAND, Texas  – Reflecting a cornerstone in its commitment to missions, First Baptist Church in Midland gives more than 30 percent of its undesignated offerings to mission causes, including 14 percent to the Cooperative Program. “We constantly hear from those supported by Cooperative Program gifts as to how the Gospel is spreading,” said Gary Dyer, the Texas church’s pastor since 1995. “What more profitable investment could there be than that?” The Cooperative Program, also referred to as CP Missions, is the Southern Baptist method of pooling mission gifts for maximum effectiveness and efficiency around the world. “The support of the Cooperative Program is more than just a matter of interest to First Baptist Church in Midland,” Dyer said. “It is – and has historically been – a matter of unwavering commitment. We have remained steadfast in giving well over 10 percent of undesignated receipts through the Cooperative Program because … [Read more...]

DETROIT (BP) – An emotional Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy, in his first speaking engagement since his son’s funeral, headlined the 19th annual Athletes in Action Super Bowl breakfast Feb. 4 at the Super Bowl XL headquarters hotel in Detroit, Mich. By Art Stricklin Baptist Press correspondent DETROIT (BP) – An emotional Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy, in his first speaking engagement since his son’s funeral, headlined the 19th annual Athletes in Action Super Bowl breakfast Feb. 4 at the Super Bowl XL headquarters hotel in Detroit, Mich. New York Jets running back Curtis Martin received the Bart Starr Award, given annually to an NFL player on the basis of character and service. But all eyes were on Dungy, who was given two standing ovations in telling of the pain and the lessons from his son’s suicide in December. Dungy said he had learned a lot from his sons, Eric, 14 and Jordan, 5, “but the most important thing came from James, who would have been 19.” “He was a Christian and is today in heaven. He was struggling with the things of the world and took his own life. People ask how I could come back to work so soon. I’m not totally recovered, I don’t know if I ever will be, it’s … [Read more...]