Recent indictments in a sophisticated antiquities forgery ring have cast a pall over the entire field of biblical archaeology and could provide new arguments for those seeking to delegitimize Jewish claims to the Holy Land. Recent indictments in a sophisticated antiquities forgery ring have cast a pall over the entire field of biblical archaeology and could provide new arguments for those seeking to delegitimize Jewish claims to the Holy Land. That is because religious leaders – and even governments – use the presence or absence of archaeological discoveries to bolster their claims to truth and territory or to refute someone else’s. “There is a huge fight over who has a claim to the Land of Israel,” said David Hazony, editor in chief of Azure, a Jerusalem-based journal. “When archaeological finds emerge that show certain aspects of the Bible are historically true, it strengthens the claim that there were Jewish people in this land and, therefore, have a right to be here.” When such biblical artifacts are not discovered or are shown to be hoaxes, some draw the opposite conclusion. “There are people who say the Bible is false, so the Jews had no right to come to Israel, that Zionism is a … [Read more...]

Depending on the statistics used, two-thirds – or as many as eight in 10 – Southern Baptist churches are plateaued or declining these days. Depending on the statistics used, two-thirds – or as many as eight in 10 – Southern Baptist churches are plateaued or declining these days. Ken Hemphill has seen the numbers. He thinks he has a solution. “How do you turn the plateaued or declining church into a growing, vibrant church?” asked Hemphill, Southern Baptist Convention strategist for the Empowering Kingdom Growth emphasis that seeks to help persons focus all of life on the kingdom of God and its work. “My conviction is the problem that creates plateaued churches is spiritual myopia. When we look inward, we see all of our flaws and shortcomings – we don’t have enough staff, we don’t have enough room, we don’t have enough buildings. Everything turns inward. “The only way to change that is to get a global vision as we begin to look at the world as God sees it,” Hemphill said. The church growth movement contributed to the condition by leading churches to focus on their particular congregation without equal concern for the world, Hemphill suggested. “The problem is such thinking creates a competitive … [Read more...]

For years, I have watched as the United States has become more and more a mission field for the gospel of Christ. This fact seems not only more evident, it also reflects a growing, more complex mission field. Two events in the last weeks have driven this home. For years, I have watched as the United States has become more and more a mission field for the gospel of Christ. This fact seems not only more evident, it also reflects a growing, more complex mission field. Two events in the last weeks have driven this home. Last month, I had the opportunity to spend a few days in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. That area’s mission needs are not just shown by its increasing population, but the kind of social structures that make reaching the people there more difficult. One could describe this difficulty by saying folks have a tendency to live in ghettos. But, the kinds of ghettos are significantly different from what one might imagine. While on a touristy cruise along the Intracoastal Waterway and New River, the guide explained a number of the 40-story, block-long buildings contain hundreds of condominiums whose sale prices start at one million dollars. Amazingly, the buildings are sold out before they are completed. Of … [Read more...]

Louisiana gambling The Jena Band of Choctaws and Louisiana officials apparently are talking again about allowing the tribe to open a casino – in Central Louisiana this time. The tribe has been trying to establish a reservation for years in order to open a casino. In 2002, it gained state approval to open one in Vinton. However, the deal was not approved by the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs. Now, the tribe has entered into talks with the Gov. Kathleen Blanco administration about locating a casino in the Creola community of Central Louisiana. An environmental assessment of the proposal is underway – but a formal compact agreement between the state and the Indian tribe to open the casino has not been negotiated. Nevertheless, an attorney for the tribe voiced confidence that the casino will be built. If so, it will represent further expansion of legalized gambling in Louisiana, which already is saturated with a variety of types. In some ways, Louisiana has led the nation in gambling expansion – but other states are not far behind. In 1985, only Nevada and New Jersey allowed casinos. Today, 17 states allow some type of casino gambling, 40 states have lotteries, 40 states have horse or dogtrack racing and Indian … [Read more...]

The merger between two Lake Charles churches Feb. 20 was seven years in the making. By Brian Blackwell LBM Newswriter The merger between two Lake Charles churches Feb. 20 was seven years in the making. What transpired during those years is a testimony to how God had his hand on the entire situation, says Alan Weishampel, pastor of the newly-merged East Ridge Baptist Church. “I’ve been in awe of everything that has happened to this point,” Weishampel says of the process. “It’s not us at all. It’s not the two congregations. “It’s God at work.” About 120 people were on hand last month to witness the official merger of Twelfth Street Baptist Church and Murray Street Baptist Church. The two congregations have chosen “East Ridge Baptist Church” as their new name from 46 submitted possibilities. The blended congregation currently is using the Murray Street Baptist Church facilities. However, when it relocates in the near future, facilities will be located on a ridge on the east side of Lake Charles, hence the new name. Danny Busby served as pastor of the former Twelfth Street Baptist Church and now serves as associate pastor of the new congregation. Weishampel serves as pastor of the new … [Read more...]

A major court battleground is – and will be for several years – the meaning, limits, enforcement and respect for the separation of church and state. A major court battleground is – and will be for several years – the meaning, limits, enforcement and respect for the separation of church and state. In Louisiana, this subject burst back into news headlines because United States District Judge Ginger Berrigan ruled that the Tangipahoa School Board could not open its regular meetings with prayer. Judge Berrigan’s ruling shows a continued lack of understanding of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States on the part of many in the court systems of our nation. In this case, the judge does not recognize the difference between public school officials leading prayer among a group of students in a required gathering in a public school and a group of adults exercising their freedom of religion by praying before a meeting of the school board. When a teacher or another school official leads a required gathering of students in prayer, that obviously is an agent of the government requiring – or strongly encouraging – students to engage in particular religious exercises. While we may think such action … [Read more...]

Our neighboring state to the west prides itself on excellent highways, as well they should. As much as it pains this dyed-in-the-wool Louisianian, one can usually tell when one crosses the state line from Louisiana to Texas. Our neighboring state to the west prides itself on excellent highways, as well they should. As much as it pains this dyed-in-the-wool Louisianian, one can usually tell when one crosses the state line from Louisiana to Texas. The roads get much better. So, it was with a chuckle I observed something that showed their road builders make mistakes along the way. There is a small town in East Texas with a gangbuster of an overpass. It is a small masterpiece. The overpass is to provide safe, uninterrupted passage over the railroad just on the edge of downtown, such as it is. The highway through town and downtown – there is no real way of knowing where one ends and the other begins – is a five-laner. It has two lanes headed south and two lanes headed north. A nice turning lane separates the southbound traffic from the northbound. It is a road any community would be proud to have passing through it. As the beautifully-constructed concrete overpass rises, it also bends into a slowly … [Read more...]

Each day, hundred of visitors arrive at a small science museum in Mobile, Ala., to view what many consider the archaeological find of the 20th century. Each day, hundred of visitors arrive at a small science museum in Mobile, Ala., to view what many consider the archaeological find of the 20th century. The Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered in 1947 and are the oldest biblical fragments ever unearthed. Since the early days of 2005, various fragments of the scrolls have been on display at Gulf Coast Exploreum in Mobile. Each day, hundreds of visitors linger at one clear plastic display case in particular. It is the world’s oldest copy of the Ten Commandments, its tiny black text exquisitely inked onto the crinkled surface of a brown animal skin. Nearby is a 3-foot-wide document whose six columns of precise text contain all or parts of Psalm 135 and three other psalms. And just a few feet away are other scroll fragments – portions of the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Isaiah and Jeremiah. Some of the fragments are barely larger than the palm of a hand – dark brown, inscribed with Hebrew text in words little bigger than a grain of rice. On larger manuscripts like the Psalm … [Read more...]

For the last quarter of a century, Southern Baptists have been told just 30 percent or so of their churches actually were healthy and growing – the rest either were plateaued or dying. That was bad enough. For the last quarter of a century, Southern Baptists have been told just 30 percent or so of their churches actually were healthy and growing – the rest either were plateaued or dying. That was bad enough. However, a new study suggests the real picture of the Southern Baptist Convention is even worse. Indeed, based on new measurement criteria developed by the Leavell Center for Evangelism and Church Health at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, just a little more than one in 10 Southern Baptist churches  – 11 percent actually – can be classified as healthy and growing. In other words, that looming object in the rearview mirror is much, much closer than it appears. And the challenge confronting Southern Baptists is much, much larger than once believed. Indeed, when asked how big that challenge is, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary President Chuck Kelley offers a succinct response. “Huge.” Defining growth For years, Southern Baptist leaders have used the 30 percent mark as a rallying … [Read more...]

Even as Southern Baptists leaders sound a renewed call to reverse a slow-growth trend in many denominational churches, Louisiana Baptists are facing their own homefront challenge. Even as Southern Baptists leaders sound a renewed call to reverse a slow-growth trend in many denominational churches, Louisiana Baptists are facing their own homefront challenge. A review of recently-released state convention statistics shows that Louisiana Baptists posted minimal growth or decreases in key membership areas in 2004. For the most-recent church year, annual statistics show that Louisiana grew no more than 0.7 percent from the previous year in any membership area. Increases were recorded in the area of: • Baptisms, which rose by 81 (0.6 percent). • Resident church membership, which grew by 1,557 persons (0.4 percent). • Total church membership, which grew by 3,221 persons (0.6 percent). • Vacation Bible School enrollment, which grew by 315 persons (0.3 percent). • Discipleship Training enrollment, which grew by 453 persons (0.7 percent. • Music Ministry enrollment, which grew by 116 persons (0.2 percent). • Woman’s Missionary Union enrollment, which grew by 147 persons (0.6 percent). At the same … [Read more...]