United States Army Maj. Tyler Fitzgerald did what any good soldier does when faced with an aggressive enemy. He took the offensive.   Fitzgerald was about to finish his tour of duty as military liaison in Guyana, a small Caribbean country. However, as a Christian, he says he could not shake the feeling of desperation he had for the physical and spiritual condition of Guyana’s people. United States Army Maj. Tyler Fitzgerald did what any good soldier does when faced with an aggressive enemy. He took the offensive.   Fitzgerald was about to finish his tour of duty as military liaison in Guyana, a small Caribbean country. However, as a Christian, he says he could not shake the feeling of desperation he had for the physical and spiritual condition of Guyana’s people.   Guyana’s HIV/AIDS crisis is second to that of Haiti’s in the Western Hemisphere. However, the government’s attempt to combat the situation decidedly excluded any abstinence programs.   Fitzgerald found that conclusion unacceptable. In March, he turned to the Internet. His search landed at True Love Waits, the faith-based abstinence program produced by LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern … [Read more...]

Trustees of the Louisiana Baptist Retirement Center in Arcadia have entered into an agreement to sell the 43-year-old facility.   The agreement to sell was approved unanimously by trustees. However, it still must be approved by the Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board and by messengers to the annual state meeting in November to become final. Trustees of the Louisiana Baptist Retirement Center in Arcadia have entered into an agreement to sell the 43-year-old facility.   The agreement to sell was approved unanimously by trustees. However, it still must be approved by the Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board and by messengers to the annual state meeting in November to become final.   If approved, it will mark a transition in the convention’s ministry to retired ministers and the elderly.   However, trustee leaders insist the ministry will not end but simply enter a new — and perhaps even expanded — phase.   Retirement center trustees met for more than five hours last week to address an ongoing financial and administrative crisis at the center. After a closed session of more than three hours to discuss the future of the facility, they issued the … [Read more...]

For the week of August 21, 2003 Potpourri   • BATON ROUGE - Stevendale church: Car show; Aug 23, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Carolina Boys in concert; Aug. 24, 6:30 p.m.; Michael J. LoBrutto, pastor.   • WINNFIELD - First church: Fifth Sunday Singing Concert; Aug. 31, 6 p.m.; John Holland, minister of music; Lindsey Burns, pastor.   • MANY - First church: Toledo Bend Resort Ministries Volunteer Appreciation Banquet; Aug. 23, 6:30 p.m.; Bill Black, guest speaker; Shekinah Praise Team from Southside church in Mansfield, music; call (318) 645-6601 for reservations; Steven Kelly, pastor.   • BASTROP - First church: Just Friends, blue grass gospel group, in concert during annual church wide fellowship; Aug. 31, 5-8 p.m.; Jim Ingram, pastor.   Youth   • OAKDALE - First church: Mt. Olive Associational Youth Rally; Aug. 30, 6 p.m.; Paul Vic, guest speaker; Broken Vessels, music; Stephen Laughlin, pastor.   Revivals   • SLAUGHTER - First church: Aug. 31, 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Sept. 1-3, 6:30 p.m.; Paul Taylor, evangelist; Ramond Taylor, music; Basil Wicker, pastor.   • LAKE CHARLES - Boulevard church: Aug. 24, 10:45 a.m. and 5 p.m.; Aug. 25-27, 6 … [Read more...]

Any great move of God must begin among his people, Ken Hemphill emphasized in his first major address as national strategist for Southern Baptists’ Empowering Kingdom Growth initiative. However, those people must embrace God in repentance and humble obedience, he added. There is no other way. Any great move of God must begin among his people, Ken Hemphill emphasized in his first major address as national strategist for Southern Baptists’ Empowering Kingdom Growth initiative. However, those people must embrace God in repentance and humble obedience, he added. There is no other way. "What God is looking for is a people that will manifest his name through radical obedience to his Word and a lifestyle that reflects his character," Hemphill said. That is the focus of the Empowering Kingdom Growth idea, he noted. "If you were thinking this Empowering Kingdom Growth is about some program that will give new juice to your Sunday School, you’re going to be disappointed," Hemphill said. "This is about radical lifestyle commitment to our father’s kingdom, for our father’s reward. And none of us may receive much glory for this here on earth. "It’s about transformation of a people called Southern Baptists so that their … [Read more...]

Clara Mae Van Brink has a simple challenge for Southern Baptists to consider - "If our families don’t look any different than other families in the world, then, why would I want to be a Christian and why would I want to come to your church?" Clara Mae Van Brink has a simple challenge for Southern Baptists to consider - "If our families don’t look any different than other families in the world, then, why would I want to be a Christian and why would I want to come to your church?"   How Southern Baptists answer the challenge could make all the difference, said Van Brink, director of preschool ministries at Peachtree Corner Baptist Church in Norcross, Ga.   Unfortunately, in Van Brink’s view, affluence and constant activity have turned the American dream into a nightmare, making it difficult for Christian families to spend time focusing on God.   "We are raising our children on activity theology - and it is killing the family," she said.   Parents must be given the skills to fashion kingdom-focused families, and it is the church’s responsibility to help, Van Brink said during a recent Southern Baptist conference.   A kingdom-focused family is one in which parents … [Read more...]

We did not intend it, but we were a food servers worst nightmare.   Thirteen hungry Baptist men ringed the long table made up of four regular size tables. It was early morning and they were ready to eat, get home to pick up their families and head to the church. Certainly none of them wanted to miss a second of Bible study. We did not intend it, but we were a food servers worst nightmare.   Thirteen hungry Baptist men ringed the long table made up of four regular size tables. It was early morning and they were ready to eat, get home to pick up their families and head to the church. Certainly none of them wanted to miss a second of Bible study.   The first man said to the server, "This will be on separate tickets."   No problem. There were only four men and two tables at the time.   The men began arriving and the sweet server tried to take their orders as they arrived. They came by twos and threes and the order taking was a challenge to say the least.   Amazingly, the nice young lady seemed to get everything straight.   Then came the challenge. We had given our orders from all sides of the table and before sitting at the table. One side was … [Read more...]

All congregations (regardless of the size or location) are relevant if people are being saved and led to walk with Jesus. I have no problem with videotapes or nationally-known preachers.. , All congregations (regardless of the size or location) are relevant if people are being saved and led to walk with Jesus. I have no problem with videotapes or nationally-known preachers, but I have a big problem when Schaller or any other refers to congregations as "struggling for relevancy." I suspect if his grandchild had recently been saved through the ministry of a congregation of 25, he would see the relevancy of the congregation.   Schaller says that churches who use a "video-based preacher" are able to gain the leadership and staff of a large church while maintaining their present facilities and people. I would like to introduce Mr. Schaller to what Southern Baptists call the "association." As a pastor for the past 27 years, I have been privileged to serve under the leadership of some gifted directors of missions, i.e. Wallace Primeaux, John Gilbert, Lawrence Clegg, Bruce Parrish and, now, Eddie DeHondt. These men of God have always been willing and able to direct me to resourceful church leaders who were more … [Read more...]

I just wanted to say that I was touched by the story about Richard Hall, the quadriplegic, on the July 24 issue of the Baptist Message (Page Twelve). There ought to be more people like him. I just wanted to say that I was touched by the story about Richard Hall, the quadriplegic, on the July 24 issue of the Baptist Message (Page Twelve). There ought to be more people like him.   Audrey Thibodeaux Pierre Part, La. … [Read more...]

Those were the first words that came to my mind as I read the July 17 article entitled "The sermon is about to begin - direct your attention to the overhead video screen." Here’s it in a nutshell. Those were the first words that came to my mind as I read the July 17 article entitled "The sermon is about to begin - direct your attention to the overhead video screen." Here’s it in a nutshell.   Mr. Lyle Schaller was basically saying the pastors of the smaller churches should "lead in other areas" but not be responsible for "providing quality preaching every Sunday." Oh, really, Mr. Schaller?   In other words, let the pastor of the local church do the marrying, burying, counseling, weeping, praying, leading, studying - and the list goes on - and let the "gifted pulpiteer" handle the task of preaching the Word of God to his flock?   What a shame that there are people in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ who would undermine the very people who are there for them in their most critical hours - the local pastor of the "small church." Mr Schaller, I may not be the pastor of one of your "megachurches." but I do love my church, and I will continue to be their pastor during the week and … [Read more...]

For the week of August 28, 2003 Briefs 8-28 Changes in the South The South is becoming less of a Christian stronghold, recent research indicates. Sunday School and church attendance and evangelism are all in decline in the region. A recent study by the Barna Research Group shows. Increased mobility is a large factor in this change, researcher George Barna said. As people from around the country move into the South, residents are exposed to more religious options. Some of these other choices are drawing younger generations, he noted. Additionally, senior adults are dropping out of the church, Barna noted. Senior attendance, evangelism involvement and volunteerism are all down nationally. African-Americans also appear to be less interested in traditional religion. Bible reading, evangelism and a belief in the “biblical God” have all declined among blacks, while the beliefs that Jesus sinned and that Satan is a symbol both increased. Since 1991, the country’s unchurched population has risen from 24 percent to 33 percent, Barna added. Even the spike in church attendance after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks should not be attributed to unchurched people but to believers returning to church, he said. ‘Softening’ … [Read more...]