For the week of May 13, 2004 Cooperative Program   Gifts through the Southern Baptist Cooperative Program totaled $17.5 million last month, an increase of almost $3.5 million (24.8 percent) from the previous April. Seven months into the convention’s fiscal year, overall Cooperative Program gifts total almost $113 million, an increase of $5.8 million (5.4 percent) from the same time last year. That total also stands about $6.3 million (6.3 percent) ahead of budget. Meanwhile, designated gifts given through the national convention totaled $13.4 million last month, an increase of $3.3 million (33.1 percent) from the previous April. For the year, designated gifts total $131.5 million, up $19.7 million (17.6 percent) from the same time last year.   Same-sex marriage   As the battle over same-sex marriage continues, both supporters and opponents have logged recent victories. On April 20, a California legislative committee gave initial approval to a bill that would legalize same-sex marriages in that state. The bill would change language in state law back to define marriage as a contract between "two people" rather than "a man and a woman." If passed, it would mark the first legislative … [Read more...]

Tran-si-tion, n.1. movement, passage, or change from one position, state, stage, subject, concept, etc. to another; change . . . Tran-si-tion, n.1. movement, passage, or change from one position, state, stage, subject, concept, etc. to another; change . . .   The Louisiana Baptist Convention is undergoing transition. Last week, Dean Doster, announced his retirement as executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, effective at the end of this year. Earlier, Rory Lee announced his departure in May of this year from the presidency of Louisiana College to head up the children’s home work of the Mississippi Baptist Convention.   Only a year or so ago, Perry Hancock became executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Children’s home. And the Louisiana Baptist Convention is taking the rare step of actually selling one of its agencies - the Louisiana Baptist Retirement Center - and redirecting the proceeds from that sale.   In a few years, only folks with good memories will be able to recall which Louisiana Baptists agencies there were and who their executives were in 2004!   The retirement, move and recent election of these three men means that the leadership of the two … [Read more...]

Are you a first- through sixth-grader who happens to have the greatest dad in the whole world? Now is the chance to let others know. Are you a first- through sixth-grader who happens to have the greatest dad in the whole world?   Now is the chance to let others know.   Entries now are being accepted from first- through sixth-grade students for a 2004 Father’s Day Essay Contest, said Loy Seal, Louisiana Baptist Convention director of men and volunteer ministries.   Sponsored by the convention’s men and volunteer ministries department and the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board, the contest is open to first through sixth grade boys.   The topic of the essay contest is - "Why My Dad is the Greatest."   Essays must be received by June 4 and should be mailed to - LBC Men and Volunteer Ministries Department, P.O. Box 311, Alexandria, LA 71309.   Word length of essays vary, depending on the contestant’s grade level.   First- through third-graders are limited to 75 words, while fourth- through sixth-graders are limited to 150 words.   The two first-place winners will have a choice of prizes. The winners will receive free tuition … [Read more...]

Just days after Louisiana College trustees adopted a resolution concerning the selection of classroom textbooks and materials, faculty at the school approved a statement, pledging to continue "a long tradition of providing a quality Christian liberal arts education." Just days after Louisiana College trustees adopted a resolution concerning the selection of classroom textbooks and materials, faculty at the school approved a statement, pledging to continue "a long tradition of providing a quality Christian liberal arts education."   The statement was approved 59-2 during a monthly faculty meeting on April 30.   It emphasizes that Louisiana College faculty understand the Christian nature of the school. It also maintains the faculty have "consistently chosen texts and materials that are discipline-appropriate and have presented that material in a way that is in agreement with, and not contrary to, the principles of the Christian faith of the college."   It then calls for faculty to be included in the creation and adoption of new policy at the school in order to maintain accreditation and avoid confusion and conflict.   The faculty statement comes less than two weeks after … [Read more...]

Whereas, the Executive Board of the Louisiana Baptist Convention recommended to the messengers to the 2002 Louisiana Baptist Convention annual meeting an initial plan of action designed to return oversight.. Whereas, the Executive Board of the Louisiana Baptist Convention recommended to the messengers to the 2002 Louisiana Baptist Convention annual meeting an initial plan of action designed to return oversight and employment of the directors of missions to the respective associations of churches, and   Whereas, the messengers to the 2002 Louisiana Baptist Convention annual meeting adopted the Executive Board proposal, and   Whereas, Dr. Dean Doster, acting in his capacity as executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention and chief fiduciary steward of the Cooperative Program budget for the Louisiana Baptist Convention subsequently made the discovery that the adopted proposal, though well-intended, was financially and functionally unfeasible, and   Whereas, Dr. Doster, after seeking counsel from various leaders in the Louisiana Baptist Convention, communicated his concerns with the Executive Board prior to its January 2004 meeting, informing them that he had taken action to … [Read more...]

Setting the stage for change: LBC Executive Director Dean Doster closed last week’s state Executive Board meeting by announcing his plans to retire Setting the stage for change: LBC Executive Director Dean Doster closed last week’s state Executive Board meeting by announcing his plans to retire   Following more than seven years of service, Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Director Dean Doster has announced plans to retire, effective January 31, 2005.   "It is after much prayer (that) I believe the Lord has shown me the timing is right for Louisiana Baptists to select a new director who can build on the work we have accomplished during these eight years," Doster told state Executive Board members at the close of their meeting last week. "It is time all of us refocus and climb to a new level of growth."   Doster, 60, had given no earlier indication of his intentions - and his announcement marks the second major transition Louisiana Baptists will face within the span of a year. Louisiana College also is experiencing a leadership change as President Rory Lee leaves his post in mid-May.   A Louisiana College search committee already is at work to nominate a new … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptist Convention messengers apparently will be asked this fall to affirm the decision to give complete financial and administrative control of local directors of missions to Baptist associations. Louisiana Baptist Convention messengers apparently will be asked this fall to affirm the decision to give complete financial and administrative control of local directors of missions to Baptist associations.   LBC Executive Board members previewed a resolution last week that calls on messengers to adopt the statement "as an expression of support for the decision to return oversight and employment (along with funding) of the directors of missions to the respective associations of churches."   Although board members delayed a vote on the resolution until their September meeting, it was presented last week as an object of prayer and consideration prior to that time.   The resolution is titled as an affirmation of LBC Executive Director Dean Doster and local directors of missions. It outlines the process by which the decision regarding directors of missions was made. That decision came in January 2004, when Doster announced full control of directors of missions would return … [Read more...]

An "extremely promising" outlook for the 2003 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering convinced trustees of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board to send an additional 200 workers overseas this year. An "extremely promising" outlook for the 2003 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering convinced trustees of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board to send an additional 200 workers overseas this year.   However, not all was celebration during the recent trustee meeting, which also was marked by lengthy discussion regarding perceived disagreement among trustees.   Still, the news of additional missionary appointments was exciting for trustees.   With still more than a month to go before the books close, the offering stands at almost $127 million - about $19 million ahead of the previous year’s pace. Estimates indicate the final total May 31 will exceed the base goal of $133 million.   In response, board trustees agreed to add $13 million to the 2004 budget, including an additional $5 million to send 200 long- and short-term missionaries who otherwise would not have been sent because of appointment restrictions imposed in 2003.   Another $4 million in additional … [Read more...]

The number of hungry people in the United States and the developing world is greater now than it was when international leaders set hunger-cutting goals in the mid-1990s, a recent report said. The number of hungry people in the United States and the developing world is greater now than it was when international leaders set hunger-cutting goals in the mid-1990s, a recent report said.   At the World Food Summit in 1996, global leaders set a goal of cutting hunger in half by 2015 - which would have meant reducing the number of hungry people in developing countries from 800 million to 400 million.   However, in its 14th annual report on world hunger, the faith-based, anti-hunger organization Bread for the World noted there are 842 million hungry people worldwide now - and the number is rising by 4.5 million a year.   The report attributed the hunger growth, in part, to a slowing world economy, wars and natural disasters.   In addition to the world goal, pledges by United States leaders to cut the number of Americans living in hunger - from 30.4 million to 15.2 million by 2010 - also are lagging.   Currently, about 35 million Americans either do not know where their … [Read more...]

For the week of May 20, 2004 Baptist Message officers   Louisiana Baptist Message trustees elected officers for the new year during their scheduled meeting last week. All three were elected by acclamation. They are: Chair Larry Thompson, pastor at First Baptist Church of Westlake; Vice Chair Naida Sexton, a member at Trinity Heights Baptist Church in Shreveport; and Secretary-Treasurer Don Rudd, pastor at Quitman Baptist Church in Quitman.   No to vouchers   There will be no expansion of the small school voucher plan run by the Louisiana government. Members of the state Senate Education Committee recently voted no to any expansion. It was the second straight year the committee has denied the efforts by New Orleans Catholics to expand the program. The state currently operates a small program, providing state-paid, private preschool tuition to about 1,500 students from disadvantaged families. Opponents of the expansion bid said it would siphon needed money from the public school system. The measure to expand the program fell on a 3-3 vote when the committee chair declined to vote. A measure must receive a majority vote to proceed for debate on the full Senate floor.   Drug … [Read more...]