One day, a friend stopped by Jerry Cupp’s house and asked him to take a ride - there was something he should see.   The friend drove to nearby Picayune, Miss., where the two men saw signs proclaiming, "Jesus is Lord of Picayune." One day, a friend stopped by Jerry Cupp’s house and asked him to take a ride - there was something he should see.   The friend drove to nearby Picayune, Miss., where the two men saw signs proclaiming, "Jesus is Lord of Picayune."   The signs gave Cupp an idea for his own town of Franklinton - but he could have had no idea what his decision would involve.   Indeed, Cupp’s decision to put "Jesus is Lord of Franklinton" signs up in his city has resulted in a lawsuit against the city and has sparked a grassroots movement that already seems to be spreading to other areas.   "It was just one of those things that I felt like the Lord wanted me to do, ..." he says.   "I never thought putting signs up on the road would cause such a fuss. ... But it’s just like the Bible says, as long as God gets the glory, that’s what it’s there for. Whatever anybody else thinks of it is between them and God. But I did it for the glory of … [Read more...]

For the week of February 21, 2002 Potpourri • WEST MONROE - Ridge Avenue church: Jake Hess, Ed Enoch, Golden Covenant in concert; Feb. 24, 6 p.m.; Robbie Freeman, music director; David Maxwell, pastor.   • ALEXANDRIA - Louisiana Baptist Convention: NET Training sponsored by LBC in conjunction with NAMB; March 19, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; if interested in becoming a NET pilot church call the Evangelism office at 1-800-622-6549 or (318) 448-3402.   • MERRYVILLE - Calvary church: women’s conference; March 15-16; Kathryn Presley, guest speaker; $15 registration fee due by March 9; mail to: Calvary Baptist Church, 424 Hwy 111, Merryville, LA 70653; nursery provided for ages three and under (specify if needed); Ricky Gallien, pastor.   • PINE PRAIRIE - First church: Higher Faith in concert; March 3, 6 p.m.; Ken Keller, music minister; David Plunkett, pastor.   • IOTA - First church: Rory Lee, Louisiana College president, will be guest speaker; Feb. 24, 10 a.m.; Bob Bollich, pastor.   • HEBERT - Welcome Home church: Blessed Assurance in concert; Feb. 24, 11 a.m.; Bill Gueringer, pastor.   • WALKER - Walker church: associational ladies conference; March 15-16; Renee … [Read more...]

An International Bible Society statement has denied its new gender-neutral "Today’s New International Version" bows to political correctness.   "There is an academic, linguistic rationale for the translation of every passage - and political correctness is most certainly not one of them," an International Bible Society statement declares. An International Bible Society statement has denied its new gender-neutral "Today’s New International Version" bows to political correctness.   "There is an academic, linguistic rationale for the translation of every passage - and political correctness is most certainly not one of them," an International Bible Society statement declares.   Nevertheless, eight of 12 evangelical leaders who signed 1997 Bible translation guidelines relating to gender have urged a halt in publication of the new translation.   The translation in question is a gender-neutral revision of the 1984 New International Version, for which the International Bible Society is the copyright holder and Zondervan is the U.S. publisher.   Announcement of the revised version has drawn considerable criticism, especially from evangelical leaders who stopped a similar … [Read more...]

Representatives of five world religions compared notes on God, evil and eternity in a recent panel discussion at Houston Baptist University.   More than 250 students attended the three-hour World Religions Forum, which organizers said was planned to foster understanding. At the gathering, speakers addressed three questions: Who is God? Why is there evil and suffering in this life? What is the ultimate destiny of human life? Representatives of five world religions compared notes on God, evil and eternity in a recent panel discussion at Houston Baptist University.   More than 250 students attended the three-hour World Religions Forum, which organizers said was planned to foster understanding. At the gathering, speakers addressed three questions: Who is God? Why is there evil and suffering in this life? What is the ultimate destiny of human life?   The Jewish perspective was represented by Rabbi Stuart Federow, spiritual leader of Shaar Hashalom in Clear Lake City, Texas. He said the Hebrew Scriptures reveal a God who is one, indivisible, unique, without form, omnipotent and different from man.   "We are to love God, obey God, to be ever conscious about God and loyal to God," … [Read more...]

Leaders of Southern Baptist Convention agencies continue to batten down the doctrinal hatches of the denomination. This editor imagines that there are only two or three more hatches to be battened down to complete the purposes of the Southern Baptist Convention leadership.   Jerry Rankin, President of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board, sent a letter to all missionaries under appointment of that agency requiring them to sign an affirmation of the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message. Leaders of Southern Baptist Convention agencies continue to batten down the doctrinal hatches of the denomination. This editor imagines that there are only two or three more hatches to be battened down to complete the purposes of the Southern Baptist Convention leadership.   Jerry Rankin, President of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board, sent a letter to all missionaries under appointment of that agency requiring them to sign an affirmation of the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message.   Rankin’s action comes after saying earlier that missionaries would not be required to sign an affirmation of the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message. Rather, they would be required to say they will work within … [Read more...]

Parking and Walkways   • Are there clearly-marked accessible parking spaces close to the church building?   • Can one get from a parked car into the building without going up or down steps?   • Are walks at least 48 inches wide with a gradient no greater than 5 percent?   • Do walks have a level platform at the door that is five-feet-by-five-feet and extends at least one foot beyond each side of the door?   Ramps and Stairs   • Do ramps have a slope no greater than one foot in 12 feet and a width no less than 36 inches?   • Do ramps have handrails on at least one side 32 inches above the surface? ... Is your church disability-friendly?   Parking and Walkways   • Are there clearly-marked accessible parking spaces close to the church building?   • Can one get from a parked car into the building without going up or down steps?   • Are walks at least 48 inches wide with a gradient no greater than 5 percent?   • Do walks have a level platform at the door that is five-feet-by-five-feet and extends at least one foot beyond each side of the door?   Ramps and Stairs   • Do … [Read more...]

Removing barriers in church environments - both figuratively and literally - is a crusade Bob Anderson looks forward to on a daily basis.   It is the focus of his work as director of the religion and disability program at Lakeshore Foundation in Birmingham, Ala., an eight-year-old nonprofit organization addresses issues dealing with individuals with physical disabilities. Removing barriers in church environments - both figuratively and literally - is a crusade Bob Anderson looks forward to on a daily basis.   It is the focus of his work as director of the religion and disability program at Lakeshore Foundation in Birmingham, Ala., an eight-year-old nonprofit organization addresses issues dealing with individuals with physical disabilities.   "Our mission is to provide opportunities for people with physical disabilities to live healthy, active lifestyles and participate fully in their community," Anderson explains.   As the former chaplain at a rehabilitative hospital, Anderson says he became acutely aware of the many challenges individuals with physical disabilities face in the able-bodied world.   He says he especially was in tune with the limited … [Read more...]

American teenagers overall have a fairly strong sense of conscience, a recent Gallup poll indicates.   And as a boost to those who emphasize the importance of church involvement for young people, those who attend religious services report an even more-developed sense of right and wrong, the poll shows. American teenagers overall have a fairly strong sense of conscience, a recent Gallup poll indicates.   And as a boost to those who emphasize the importance of church involvement for young people, those who attend religious services report an even more-developed sense of right and wrong, the poll shows.   In the recently-released poll, American youth (ages 13-17) were given a list of items and asked to indicate if they would feel guilty or not guilty about committing them - "even if nobody else knew about it."   The results were both encouraging and frightening, with majorities saying they would feel guilty about any of the items but those majorities shrinking when it came to pornography, cheating, cursing and sex.   Indeed, across the board, those four areas rank the lowest as guilt-inducing behaviors, with having sex before marriage ranked the … [Read more...]

The plans students from Louisiana State University’s Baptist Campus Ministry had made for their trip to New York during Christmas pretty well fell through.   But that turned out to be not so bad. The plans students from Louisiana State University’s Baptist Campus Ministry had made for their trip to New York during Christmas pretty well fell through.   But that turned out to be not so bad.   The group originally was scheduled to spend a day at Staten Island helping a Southern Baptist North American Mission Board church planter begin a new church.   Some members from the group were also to visit Ground Zero to distribute "relief phone numbers" from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and to be open to counsel people. Those same group members also were scheduled to work in a store operated by Samaritan’s Purse that allowed family members’ victims to shop for their Christmas presents at no cost.   But cold and rainy conditions stopped the outside activities at the church-starting site, so those students were forced to look for another avenue of missions work, since that entire day was set aside for the activity.   Their cancelled plans led to team … [Read more...]

By the time a Louisiana Baptist mass choir performs "Experiencing God: The Musical" in Lafayette on March 15, thousands will have heard it across the state.   And no one knows how many lives will have been touched by the presentations, said Jim Faull, Louisiana Baptist church and music development director. By the time a Louisiana Baptist mass choir performs "Experiencing God: The Musical" in Lafayette on March 15, thousands will have heard it across the state.   And no one knows how many lives will have been touched by the presentations, said Jim Faull, Louisiana Baptist church and music development director.   "This (musical) is a great way to model how worship should be," Faull said. "God is the focus and not the people.   "It’s been good for our state."   The concluding performance of the "Experiencing God" musical is scheduled for March 15 at 7 p.m. in the Heymann Performing Arts Center in Lafayette.   The performance will cap a year-and-a-half tour of the state, in which choirs have presented the musical in eight locations.   Every performance attracted a "packed house," Faull noted. The largest crowd came during the state Evangelism … [Read more...]