Investment frauds that take advantage of people’s faith are on the rise, state security regulators warned at a recent press conference. Investment frauds that take advantage of people’s faith are on the rise, state security regulators warned at a recent press conference.   Three large recent cases alone have combined for losses of nearly $1.5 billion, the North American Securities Administrators Association reported recently. "I’ve been a securities regulator for 20 years, and I’ve seen more money stolen in the name of God than in any other way," said Deborah Bortner, director of securities for Washington state and president of the association.   In all, regulators identified 75 such cases from the last few years, affecting more than 90,000 victims and costing investors $1.8 billion in lost funds.   One case involves the Baptist Foundation of Arizona, which took in more than $590 million from 13,000 investors before being shut down by officials in 1999.   In another, Greater Ministries International allegedly took in nearly $580 million in six years, promising investors that the church would double their money through divinely inspired investments.   In another … [Read more...]

Ask Aunt Josephine’s relatives, and they will say she was once saved, always saved. The reason? She walked the aisle at age 8. Ask Aunt Josephine’s relatives, and they will say she was once saved, always saved. The reason? She walked the aisle at age 8.   Aunt Josephine may not have darkened the church doors in recent years. She may not have read her Bible in 50 years. But at least she was baptized.   That simple fact leads many Baptists to say with certainty the Aunt Josephines of the world are regenerate, saved, assured of heaven.   However, is this the biblical teaching on perseverance?   And is this understanding of baptism and "making a decision" any different from the sacramentalism of Catholicism?   Not really, argue Thomas Schreiner and Ardel Caneday in their recent book, "The Race Set Before Us." Schreiner is professor of New Testament interpretation at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky.Caneday is professor of Bible at Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minn.   "It’s struck me lately that there is a danger that Baptists can be as sacramental as Catholics," Schreiner said. "Catholics may say, ‘At least they were baptized,’ … [Read more...]

Recent studies indicate less Doctrinal certainty than ever   C. Lacy Thompson LBM Associate Editor   Here is the irony - in the so-called "information age," at a time when people’s hunger for spirituality is at its highest ever, theological confusion reigns. Recent studies indicate less Doctrinal certainty than ever   Here is the irony - in the so-called "information age," at a time when people’s hunger for spirituality is at its highest ever, theological confusion reigns.   Yes - theological confusion.   How else can it be described?   "Doctrine" is almost a taboo word. "Buffet religion" is in - just come in, get in line and pick and choose whatever one wants to create a personal religion.   It is becoming harder and harder to determine who believes what and what this group or that group really stands for when it comes to faith. Individualism has created a free-for-all in the theological marketplace.   Need proof? Consider the following.   A recent issue of Emerging Trends" newsletter reports that traditional beliefs about the Bible are losing ground.   "The belief that the Bible represents the actual Word … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptists recently helped dozens of Southern Baptist missionary kids prepare for life in a new world — the United States. Louisiana Baptists recently helped dozens of Southern Baptist missionary kids prepare for life in a new world — the United States.   A total of 84 young people from around the world attended the 2001 MK (Missionary Kids) Re-entry Retreat at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center in Woodworth. The retreat is sponsored in a chosen state each year by the Southern Baptist Woman’s Missionary Union.   The children of international missionaries, the young people are coming to the United States to attend college this fall. The retreat was designed to help smooth their transition to college life in this country.   The retreat featured recreational activities, worship and small-group sessions on such things as finances, cultural transition, absence of family and relating to WMU.   As is the custom, the young people also received gifts from the host state of the retreat. This year, through the efforts of 26 Louisiana Baptist associational WMU groups, several churches and some individuals, the students received a clock radio, backpack and school … [Read more...]

For the week of September 6, 2001 Potpourri •DRY CREEK - Dry Creek camp: senior adult retreat; Sept. 24-25; Connie Ward and Bill Thorn, speakers; Lanny Turner and Margie Nell Walker, music; cost is $45/full-time lodgers, $25/2-day commuter or $15/1 day commuter; for information, call the camp at (337) 328-7531; Curt Iles, camp manager.   •GLORIETA, N.M. - Jennifer Holeton, summer staffer at LifeWay Glorieta Conference Center and native of Avondale, La., recently received the Holcomb Scholarship for her hard work and dedication. She is the daughter of Kenneth and Vicki Holeton.   •GOLDONNA - Goldonna church: The Toney Brothers in concert; Sept. 6, 7 p.m.; Doyle McGrew, pastor.   •GOLDONNA - Goldonna church: "Hats Off to Women" one-day ladies’ retreat; Sept. 8, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.; Billie Smith, speaker; Betty Norris, music; no cost; lunch provided; nursery available for children under 4, with advance notice; for information, contact Darlene Ray, at (318) 797-5023; Doyle McGrew, pastor.   •LAFAYETTE - Northside church: Discipleship Training Rally; Sept. 17, 7 p.m.; Wayne Sistrunk, pastor.   •MANY - Calvary church: North Sabine Association annual meeting; Sept. 18, 7 … [Read more...]

C. Lacy Thompson LBM Associate Editor   Angelia Carpenter is new to Louisiana, still learning how to pronounce the names of towns and such.   But the new Louisiana Baptist director of women’s missions and ministry already knows the basics for reaching the Bayou State with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Angelia Carpenter is new to Louisiana, still learning how to pronounce the names of towns and such.   But the new Louisiana Baptist director of women’s missions and ministry already knows the basics for reaching the Bayou State with the gospel of Jesus Christ.   Prayer.   Giving.   Meeting needs.   All three are key elements of the Week of Prayer for State Missions and the Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering, set for September 16-23.   All three also are essential elements of any intent to reach Louisianians for Christ, emphasizes Carpenter, whose duties include leadership of Louisiana Baptist Woman’s Missionary Union.   "A lot of time, prayer is used in ways we can’t imagine," says Carpenter, who assumed her state convention role in July, succeeding Nelda Seal. "A lot of times, we don’t know how to pray or what to … [Read more...]

Once upon a time, there was a workhorse who served an entire community. Day after day, he carried loads for the butcher, the baker and the candlestickmaker. He found great joy in his work and felt honored to do his task. Once upon a time, there was a workhorse who served an entire community. Day after day, he carried loads for the butcher, the baker and the candlestickmaker. He found great joy in his work and felt honored to do his task.   Every time someone needed help carrying a load, that person just contacted the workhorse. After all, it was his duty and purpose to carry the load. And, he gladly carried the load. As the community grew, so did the size and number of loads the workhorse was asked to carry.   All the workhorse asked in return for his work was that the community he served would help in keeping up his hauling equipment so he could continue to do a good job and would care for his few needs. He never asked for fancier barns or stalls or gourmet hay. He never asked for brightly-colored tassels to wear on his halter - just the basics to do his job of hauling the loads for the people of the community.   As time went on, the people of the community took the workhorse for … [Read more...]

Erich Bridges SBC International Mission Board   All the resources of the modern mission movement did not get the news of Jesus to one Asian village soon enough to save the lives of three young boys. All the resources of the modern mission movement did not get the news of Jesus to one Asian village soon enough to save the lives of three young boys.   A Christian worker preached the gospel for the first time in the village earlier this year. The local chief sadly asked him, "Why did you not come here two weeks earlier?"   The chief explained that a sorcerer had promised him prosperity if he would sacrifice three small children.   "I was carried away by his words and kidnapped two 5-year-old boys from a neighboring village, and I sacrificed them to the gods," he confessed. "But I failed in all my attempts in kidnapping the third child. Finally, I took my 7-year-old son and sacrificed him also. If you had told me about this Jesus a little earlier, then I would have never killed those innocent children.   "Why did you come so late?" the chief asked, weeping.   The worker could have offered several valid reasons - that the village is just one of countless … [Read more...]

The old-fashioned philosophy of "spare the rod and spoil the child" found a rare ally in modern psychology in a controversial study that says occasional spanking does not cause children lasting harm. The old-fashioned philosophy of "spare the rod and spoil the child" found a rare ally in modern psychology in a controversial study that says occasional spanking does not cause children lasting harm.   "We’re not advocating this is a strategy that should be used with kids, but we object to people wanting to ban it when we see no evidence that it’s harmful," said Elizabeth Owens, study co-author and a faculty member at the Institute of Human Development at the University of California at Berkeley.   An expectant mother, Owens emphasized she is not advocating spanking. "And I don’t plan to use it, but if there are situations where I think it would be helpful, I wouldn’t be averse to using it (in a mild way)."   Co-author Diana Baumrind also said she does not advocate spanking. But there is no proof it causes psychological harm, she said. Baumrind also is a faculty member at the University of California in Berkeley.   The recently-released study indicated there is no … [Read more...]

Editor’s Note: September 16 has been set as Baptist Message Sunday in Louisiana Baptist churches. The following commentary was written in recognition of that emphasis.   C. Lacy Thompson LBM Associate Editor Editor’s Note: September 16 has been set as Baptist Message Sunday in Louisiana Baptist churches. The following commentary was written in recognition of that emphasis.   In the late spring of 1996, Jamling Tenzing Norgay climbed to the summit of Mt. Everest, the highest point on the face of the earth.   His ascent came almost 43 years to the day after his father accompanied Sir Edmund Hillary to the top of the world, becoming one of the first two men ever to set foot on the Everest summit.   It also came just days after several climbers died on Everest during a storm that trapped them on the mountain.   Norgay’s group narrowly avoided the storm, then faced the dilemma of deciding whether to try the mountain again.   They chose to do so, banding together to accomplish something that only a mere fraction of humans ever consider attempting.   Overcoming obvious obstacles, the team succeeded - as a team, together.   Indeed, on … [Read more...]