Amanda Phifer Free-lance writer   As the number of volunteers in missions explodes, not even the family vacation is sacred. Indeed, a growing number of families are ditching Sea World for flights to South America and points beyond, laden with such things as evangelistic tracts and crayons for street kids. As the number of volunteers in missions explodes, not even the family vacation is sacred. Indeed, a growing number of families are ditching Sea World for flights to South America and points beyond, laden with such things as evangelistic tracts and crayons for street kids.   While most mission volunteers still are adults or youth groups, serving as families is becoming a trend, a story in FaithWorks magazine explains.   One reason is family togetherness.   "You’re not leaving behind somebody that you’re gonna worry about the whole time," says Betty Dennis, who has taken mission trips to West Virginia and Kenya with her teenage daughter. "You don’t have to arrange child care. You spend your time ministering together instead of anxious about the family back home or the family members so far away."   Church-sponsored mission trips might take Christians … [Read more...]

Sharon Colantonio stands in the bathroom of Avery Woods Cottage No. 7, paint roller in hand, splatters of Dover Cliff White on her baseball cap, clothes and skin.   As she listens to music, she prays for the students who will live and study in this dormitory cottage this fall at the University of Mobile in Alabama. Sharon Colantonio stands in the bathroom of Avery Woods Cottage No. 7, paint roller in hand, splatters of Dover Cliff White on her baseball cap, clothes and skin.   As she listens to music, she prays for the students who will live and study in this dormitory cottage this fall at the University of Mobile in Alabama.   This is summer vacation for Colantonio and other Southern Baptists - including a Louisiana couple - who used the Internet to access the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board Volunteer Mobilization Information System.   "I signed up on the (North American American Board) site as a volunteer, and they contacted me," says Colantonio, a 23-year-old physical education specialist. A member at First Baptist Church in Waldorf, Md., Colantonio combined the Alabama mission project with a visit to her grandparents’ home in a neighboring … [Read more...]

For the week of September 13, 2001 POTPOURRI       •COLUMBIA - Bethany church: senior adult rally; Sept. 20, 6:30 p.m.; John Traylor, speaker; Celebration, music; Johnny Miller, pastor.   •DENHAM SPRINGS - First church: "Jesus the One and Only" Discipleship Rally-2001 for children, youth and adult; Sept. 24, 7 p.m.; Nathan Strebeck, youth leader; Geoffrey Cadby, adult leader; Danny Henderson, pastor.   •GRAYSON - Cross Roads church: world missions conference; Sept. 23, 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Sept. 24-28, 7 - 9 p.m.; Eddie Gerodias, keynote speaker; for information, contact Shane Duke, pastor, at (318) 649-2227.   •JACKSON - Judson Retreat Center: "Dressing for Success" women’s retreat; Oct. 12-13; Rhonda Kelley, speaker; Paula Payne and Dandy Monroe, worship leaders; for information, contact Debi Morris at (225) 634-7225; Eugene Morris, manager.   •LAKE CHARLES - Boulevard church: lay renewal weekend; Sept. 21-23; for information, call the church office at (337) 478-6614; Mark Stagg, pastor.   •MINDEN - Harris Conference Center: Ministers’ Wives’ Retreat; Sept. 29; Betty Young, speaker; Shayla Blake, music; brunch tickets are $5; for … [Read more...]

What more can be said about lessons to be learned from the terrible, tragic, dastardly, cowardly attack on the United States of America last Tuesday? What more can be said azbout lessons to be learned from the terrible, tragic, dastardly, cowardly attack on the United States of America last Tuesday? In the midst of the mind-numbing events of last week, some of the best, more Christ-atuned souls of our nation have spoken clearly, concisely, prophetically to the events. Insightful, helpful, comforting words have flowed to a public eagerly seeking answers to "Why?" and "How?". The human psyche has the most difficulty with uncertainty.   But we must individually search our hearts and the Scriptures for our personal answers. We must draw our own responses, or adopt someone else’s answers, lest the disasters of the past week pass into history with no redemptive response in our personal lives.   For this editor, among the many poignant thoughts that came by means of visual images, or words, or reflection, or Scriptures, is this truth: We are misled if we trust primarily in our nation’s military might, economic strength, human determination, or collective ability to achieve.   God inspired … [Read more...]

C. Lacy Thompson LBM Associate Editor   As the events of September 11 unfolded, a husband on out-of-town business received a call from his wife several hours away.   "I want you here with me," she said. "Get your work done, and get home as fast as you can." As the events of September 11 unfolded, a husband on out-of-town business received a call from his wife several hours away.   "I want you here with me," she said. "Get your work done, and get home as fast as you can."   Later in the day, several co-workers who had spent the afternoon watching the surreal newscast scenes prepared to leave their office for home.   "Well, I’m going to go and have my good 30-minute cry on the way to the house," one said to another.   Even later that evening, as the extent of the early morning terrorist attack became grimly clear, a father telephoned his out-of-state children.   "I just wanted to hear your voice," he told the oldest one. "I just wanted you to know how proud I am of you and how proud I am to be your father."   Three responses to the attack on America.   All emotional. All natural. All seeking some sort of connection - … [Read more...]

Enrollment at Louisiana College has been a headline story in recent years, jumping some 30 percent since 1997.   A large part of the reason is sports. Enrollment at Louisiana College has been a headline story in recent years, jumping some 30 percent since 1997.   A large part of the reason is sports.   The Louisiana Baptist school has added several sports since Rory Lee became president of the school in 1997. While the addition of men’s football has gained the most attention perhaps, the school now offers a total of five men’s and five women’s sports.   Women’s sports include basketball, softball, soccer, cross country and tennis.   Men’s sports include basketball, football, golf, soccer and baseball.   The impact has been noticeable, school Athletic Director Sheila Thompson said. Indeed, about one-third of the incoming freshmen students this fall are athletes, she noted, moving the college ever closer to its goal of having 25 percent of its student body involved in college sports.   "It’s impacted the total number (of students) because if these sports had not been available, some of these students probably would not be attending Louisiana … [Read more...]

C. Lacy Thompson LBM Associate Editor   In a meeting marked by an extended executive session, Louisiana College trustees eventually gave unanimous approval to a policy change for faculty hirings. In a meeting marked by an extended executive session, Louisiana College trustees eventually gave unanimous approval to a policy change for faculty hirings.   After spending about two hours in executive session, school trustees voted without further discussion and with no dissent to adopt the revised policy.   The new policy streamlines the previous process by allowing the president and vice president of academic affairs to extend contracts to prospective faculty members.   Under the previous policy, a contract could not be extended until after faculty candidates had been approved by the academic affairs committee of the trustee board.   In the future, the role of the committee will come later. After a contract has been extended, the academic affairs committee still will be responsible for approving candidates for presentation to the full board.   Then, as in the past, the full board of trustees still will be responsible for final ratification of faculty … [Read more...]

A spot survey of Louisiana Baptist churches indicates "unusually strong numbers" of the state’s Baptists and others found their ways to worship services last Sunday as well as during the week. A spot survey of Louisiana Baptist churches indicates "unusually strong numbers" of the state’s Baptists and others found their ways to worship services last Sunday as well as during the week.   Following a week of trauma caused by terrorists’ acts against the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in the nation’s capital, millions of people attended gatherings at their churches and other places of worship, according to news reports.   Louisianians were no different. Not only did people come to special called prayer meetings during the week, they filled Louisiana Baptist houses of worship on Sunday morning.   T.C. "Tommy" French, president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention and pastor of Jefferson Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, said "there was not a seat left in the house" during their Sunday morning worship.   French said people in the worship service definitely had events of the previous week on their minds. "They were pretty somber," he said about the mood of the … [Read more...]

A record number of persons participated in World Changers missions projects this summer - but even those inflated numbers do not reflect the true impact of the annual emphasis. A record number of persons participated in World Changers missions projects this summer - but even those inflated numbers do not reflect the true impact of the annual emphasis.   Overall, 19,245 individuals participated in World Changers missions projects, an increase of almost 14 percent from last year, Southern Baptist North American Mission Board leaders report. Their impact reached far.   In Portland, Maine, students left a trail of handprints on the wheelchair ramp they had built for one resident.   In Youngstown, Ohio, students visited an area prison, touching lives with music, laughter and conversation.   In Montreal, Quebec, volunteers participated in a concert of prayer over the city from the top of Mount Royal.   And in Nashville, Tenn., a man showed up one morning at a World Changers site looking for construction work. After talking with him for some time, students learned the man had lost his job, his family had left him, and he had contemplated suicide the night before in a … [Read more...]

A recent crackdown on Christianity apparently is continuing in the strict Islamic world of Afghanistan.   Ruling Taliban authorities arrested 35 more Afghan aid workers earlier this month. Thus far, more than 50 Afghans have been jailed by the strict regime since early August on suspicion of aiding covert Christian missionary work. A recent crackdown on Christianity apparently is continuing in the strict Islamic world of Afghanistan.   Ruling Taliban authorities arrested 35 more Afghan aid workers earlier this month. Thus far, more than 50 Afghans have been jailed by the strict regime since early August on suspicion of aiding covert Christian missionary work.   International aid workers say at least 35 Afghans employed by the recently-banned International Assistance Mission were taken into custody when they came to get their final salary payment.   Sources said a state-run radio broadcast had ordered Afghan staffers of the banned agency to come and collect their pay.   "When the Afghans showed up, they were arrested," Associated Press reported.   In an Associated Press of Pakistan story, an expatriate aid worker said she knew of some 15 to 17 Afghan … [Read more...]