What does God know, and when does God know it? That is the question of late in evangelical circles as scholars debate a view known as open theism.   Traditional Christian theology says God is sovereign and omniscient - having perfect knowledge of all things. At the same time, humans have free will, setting up a classic paradox - if God already knows what one is going to decide to do, does one really have freedom of choice? What does God know, and when does God know it? That is the question of late in evangelical circles as scholars debate a view known as open theism.   Traditional Christian theology says God is sovereign and omniscient - having perfect knowledge of all things. At the same time, humans have free will, setting up a classic paradox - if God already knows what one is going to decide to do, does one really have freedom of choice?   Within that paradox, open theists take another approach. They say God does not know exact details of the future, because it will be shaped by human decisions. Thus, the future is "open," rather than predetermined.   The debate has percolated in the Southern Baptist Convention. In 1999, messengers passed a resolution affirming … [Read more...]

For the week of September 19, 2002 Persecuting countries For the first time, North Korea has replaced Saudi Arabia as the country where Christians are most severely persecuted, the Open Doors’ "World Watch List" indicates. The list is released twice each year and ranks countries according to the level of persecution Christians face for following Jesus Christ. For years, Saudi Arabia had held the top spot on the list. However, growing reports of severe oppression in North Korea have confirmed that the communist dictatorship of Kim Jong Il is intent on eradicating all belief systems other than the worship of Kim himself and his deceased father, Kim Il Sung. Both father and son have an ongoing record of attempting to purge the land of Christians. Nevertheless, the church has survived in North Korea. Christian refugees escaping North Korea’s famine have told of small house churches located in the country. The rest of the top 10 on the watch list includes Laos (third), Vietnam, Turkmenistan, Maldives, Bhutan, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Somalia. Six of the countries are governed by Islamic regimes, three are communist and one is primarily Buddhist. Influence of mothers Mothers may have more influence than they think … [Read more...]

An exposed bulb dangles from the ceiling by a black wire and throws its harsh light around the cramped cinder-block room.   Tattooed bodies crowd the space or stare in past the heavy steel door. This cell’s location is deep within the bowels of a Honduran prison. All of the young men present are gang members, and most are killers or rapists - or both.   At the center of this sea of inked flesh sits Amy Johnson, a perfectly-postured, fair-complected redhead. Her soft voice forces the prisoners to lean in to hear her. She smiles and looks at them with her deep-penetrating brown eyes. An exposed bulb dangles from the ceiling by a black wire and throws its harsh light around the cramped cinder-block room.   Tattooed bodies crowd the space or stare in past the heavy steel door. This cell’s location is deep within the bowels of a Honduran prison. All of the young men present are gang members, and most are killers or rapists - or both.   At the center of this sea of inked flesh sits Amy Johnson, a perfectly-postured, fair-complected redhead. Her soft voice forces the prisoners to lean in to hear her. She smiles and looks at them with her deep-penetrating brown … [Read more...]

A Louisiana Baptist study committee has unanimously voted to rescind its earlier recommendation for local associations to assume total control of directors of missions.   "After discussion, we just felt like it was the best thing to do," explained Paul Roney, chair of the committee and pastor at Riverview Baptist Church in Alexandria. A Louisiana Baptist study committee has unanimously voted to rescind its earlier recommendation for local associations to assume total control of directors of missions.   "After discussion, we just felt like it was the best thing to do," explained Paul Roney, chair of the committee and pastor at Riverview Baptist Church in Alexandria.   The decision comes after weeks of discussion among Louisiana Baptists regarding the proposal. The committee had released its original recommendation in May to allow for input.   "We got a lot of feedback," Roney said. "I don’t think the feedback we got was totally representive of the convention, but it did give us some food for thought. I still feel like we did the right thing by releasing it the way we did in May."   Under its current system, the state convention works with an association in … [Read more...]

Ten years ago Terri Brown discovered one of her sons, who lives out of state, was a homosexual.   While bitterness set in at first, she says God soon laid on her heart a ministry to reach the homosexual community. "In 1994, I surrendered my life back to the Lord," Brown explains. "In 1995, I heard this call from the Lord, and it scared me to death."   At the same time, Carol Hunter was seeking counseling because she struggled with "homosexual temptations." Ten years ago Terri Brown discovered one of her sons, who lives out of state, was a homosexual.   While bitterness set in at first, she says God soon laid on her heart a ministry to reach the homosexual community. "In 1994, I surrendered my life back to the Lord," Brown explains. "In 1995, I heard this call from the Lord, and it scared me to death."   At the same time, Carol Hunter was seeking counseling because she struggled with "homosexual temptations."   Brown and Hunter attended the same meeting at one point, where they discovered they shared a passion to reach the homosexual community.   That meeting led to the Master’s Design, a ministry "born out of a desire to see God’s truth about … [Read more...]

For the week of September 19, 2002 Potpourri   • JENA - Fellowship church: The Galloways in concert; Sept. 26, 7 p.m.; Randy Ray, pastor.   • RUSTON - Temple church: Cynthia Clawson and Bruce Greer in concert; Sept. 22, 6 p.m.; Jon Stubblefield, interim pastor.   • BATON ROUGE - Stevendale church: Toney Brothers in concert; Sept. 20, 7 p.m.; Michael J. LoBrutto, pastor.   • MONROE - North Monroe church: John Yates, Christian ventriloquist; Sept. 29; appearing at youth rally, 9-9:20 a.m.; 10-10:10 a.m. worship service; 10:10-11 a.m. children’s church and at 6 p.m.; Bill H. Dye, pastor.   • SHREVEPORT - Emmanuel church: "The Shreveport Passion Play," an outdoor drama; Sept. 20-22, 8 p.m.; free; for ticket information, call (318) 925-9534; Paul DeRousse, minister of music/play director; Bill Stowell, pastor.   • FARMERVILLE - Bethel Hispanic Mission: Volunteers needed for construction of new sanctuary; beginning Oct. 7; some RV hookups available; noon meal provided; call (318) 368-0690 or (318) 368-5225; Miguel Barrios, pastor.   • KEITHVILLE - North Keithville church: Gospel singing; Sept. 27, 7 p.m.; Robert Tillman, pastor.   • … [Read more...]

Point, click, point and click ... and then preach. More and more ministers are using Microsoft PowerPoint to infuse long sermons with multimedia moxie.   "It’s what Jesus would do today; he’d be using media because he was a cutting-edge communicator," said Tim Eason, a self-proclaimed "media missionary" who trains ministers and church members to use PowerPoint computer software and other media in worship services. Point, click, point and click ... and then preach. More and more ministers are using Microsoft PowerPoint to infuse long sermons with multimedia moxie.   "It’s what Jesus would do today; he’d be using media because he was a cutting-edge communicator," said Tim Eason, a self-proclaimed "media missionary" who trains ministers and church members to use PowerPoint computer software and other media in worship services.   Initially released in 1987 for businesses to design graphic-oriented presentations, PowerPoint is beginning to take hold in churches across America - and increasingly to accompany sermons.   The evidence is overwhelming. Just type in "PowerPoint sermons" on Google or any other Web search engine and one will find a host of sites, many of which are … [Read more...]

Within hours of the Sept. 11 attacks in New York and Washington, Southern Baptist disaster relief volunteers were rolling - ready to cook meals for victims and recovery workers, care for children and do the jobs they had done on so many other occasions.   By the time those emergency efforts finally concluded in late July, the response had shaped the entire Southern Baptist disaster relief network more than any single response since Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Within hours of the Sept. 11 attacks in New York and Washington, Southern Baptist disaster relief volunteers were rolling - ready to cook meals for victims and recovery workers, care for children and do the jobs they had done on so many other occasions.   By the time those emergency efforts finally concluded in late July, the response had shaped the entire Southern Baptist disaster relief network more than any single response since Hurricane Andrew in 1992.   There were new areas of ministry that demonstrated the importance of flexibility - including an expanded chaplaincy response, opportunities for cleaning up apartments and even the impromptu distribution of Teddy Bears that flooded the city as expressions of love and … [Read more...]

In the August 22 issue of the Baptist Message, my "On Second Thought" was entitled, "Things you did not know you did not know you did not know."   Well, maybe, there are a couple of things you do not know that you still do not know even if you read "Things you did not know." It seems that e-mail I quoted may not be 100 percent accurate. In the August 22 issue of the Baptist Message, my "On Second Thought" was entitled, "Things you did not know you did not know you did not know."   Well, maybe, there are a couple of things you do not know that you still do not know even if you read "Things you did not know." It seems that e-mail I quoted may not be 100 percent accurate.   One thing for certain, the Baptist Message has astute, well-educated, sharp readers. One of our readers, and one of my favorite people, wrote to tell me there was, indeed, not only one word that rhymes with "purple" but two.   One word is "hirple" and it means "to hobble or limp." "It is a delightful word," she wrote, "almost as good as ‘burble’" which means "to make a bubbling sound, or to speak with such a sound." It can also mean "the breakdown of smooth airflow around a wing at a high angle of … [Read more...]

For the week of September 26, 2002 Kingdom people Southern Baptists were challenged to be kingdom people last week by their highest administrator. Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee President Morris Chapman insisted the time has come for persons to decide if they are kingdom people or not - and if not, how they can be. Speaking at last week’s Executive Committee meeting, Chapman focused on the new "Empowering Kingdom Growth" emphasis, outlining various aspects of a kingdom focus. He noted:   • "The Kingdom of God is about kingdom identity, the state of my relationship with him. Do I talk with him often and listen to what he says? ...   • "The Kingdom of God is about kingdom character. Do I obey his kingly rule in living life daily? ...   • "The Kingdom of God is about kingdom priority. Am I willing to sacrifice for the cause of Christ? ...   • "The Kingdom of God is about kingdom family. Have I led my family to have a spiritual purpose? ...   • "The Kingdom of God is about kingdom perspective. Am I willing to set aside lesser goals such as personal aggrandizement and pursuit of things of the world? ...   • "The Kingdom of God is about … [Read more...]