If Southern Baptists are to be what God wants them to be, they desperately need to repent of the sins that clog their spiritual lives, Johnny Hunt told the Southern Baptist Pastors’ Conference June 22. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) – If Southern Baptists are to be what God wants them to be, they desperately need to repent of the sins that clog their spiritual lives, Johnny Hunt told the Southern Baptist Pastors’ Conference June 22. “I am not a prophet or a prophet’s son, but I may have to do until a prophet comes,” Hunt said. “And here’s what I want to say to the Southern Baptist Convention: There is a dire need for overwhelming repentance. I’ve never seen so many hard things said from one person to the next without any sense of grief.” Like a flowing stream that beavers dam up over time with fallen trees and debris, a Christian becomes blocked spiritually by sins both large and small, Hunt said. And in the same manner, the only way for living water to flow again is for spiritual dynamite to be applied. Hunt confessed that he has at times allowed his own life to get dammed up by sins that he didn’t take seriously. “Almost unbeknownst to me, I let some tree fall across the artesian well of God’s Spirit,” Hunt said. “I hardly … [Read more...]

Seventy Southern Baptists from 35 state Baptist conventions have been named to serve on the 2009-10 SBC Committee on Nominations. SBC’s Committee on Nominations named LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) – Seventy Southern Baptists from 35 state Baptist conventions have been named to serve on the 2009-10 SBC Committee on Nominations. The Committee on Nominations will nominate people to serve on the SBC’s boards, commissions and committees. They will present their report to the 2010 SBC annual meeting in Orlando, Fla. The committee is made up of two people from each state convention, with at least one layperson. An asterisk denotes the committee member is a layperson. All others are church vocational workers. In Louisiana, the following were named: David Jeffreys, Highland Baptist, New Iberia; *Brian Reese Allen, Start Baptist, Start.   … [Read more...]

Southern Baptists have gained “tremendous victories” in Washington in recent months, Richard Land told messengers at the annual meeting. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) – Southern Baptists have gained “tremendous victories” in Washington in recent months, Richard Land told messengers at the annual meeting. Land, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, cited a recently-adopted measure that gives the Food and Drug Administration oversight of tobacco products and a bill signed into law by President Bush late in his term that enables the government to more aggressively prosecute sex traffickers. Real and lasting change, though, can only come through changed hearts, he said. “It starts with you and me. It starts with individuals getting their hearts right with God,” Land said. “The future of America is being determined one person, one family, one church, one community at a time all across this nation. “We can’t legislate our way to the godly society that we would have for our children and our grandchildren. It can only come through changed hearts. Jesus Christ is the one who is in the heart-changing business,” Land said. When Southern Baptists exercise their responsibilities to be salt and light as Jesus … [Read more...]

He received more than 60,000 pieces of hate mail and profanity-laced e-mails daily filled his inbox. Teaming with the torrent of written abuse were scores of threatening voice messages. He received more than 60,000 pieces of hate mail and profanity-laced e-mails daily filled his inbox. Teaming with the torrent of written abuse were scores of threatening voice messages. Given the quantity of the ridicule being heaped on this person, you might conclude that he is a serial killer or pedophile. So, just who is this vilified individual and what has he done to earn such scorn? The person being subjected to the aforementioned abuse is McKay Hatch, a 15-year-old high school freshman in Pasadena, Calif. Hatch is being attacked because he had the audacity to begin a club dedicated to curtailing profanity at his school. On the “No Cussing Club” website (www.nocussing.com), Hatch shares how the club got its start. “I started the “No Cussing Club” at my junior high school ... in 2007,” he writes. “A lot of kids at my school, and some of my friends, would cuss and use dirty language all the time. They did it so much, they didn’t even realize they were doing it.” When Hatch told his friends that the cussing bothered him, he … [Read more...]

In 2003, I was given the opportunity to travel to the Middle East twice to report for Baptist Press about the faith of sailors and soldiers that I came into contact with. It was a life-changing experience, putting me on a new course I could never have designed for myself. In 2003, I was given the opportunity to travel to the Middle East twice to report for Baptist Press about the faith of sailors and soldiers that I came into contact with. It was a life-changing experience, putting me on a new course I could never have designed for myself. Something I’ve never forgotten was a conversation I had with Army Chaplain Jim Murphy, who at the time was stationed with the 325th Regiment 82nd Airborne just south of Baghdad. It was November of that year when photographer Jim Veneman and I sat down with him there and he told us how his men had seen an incredible difference between the summer and fall of that year in terms of casualties. “We could tell a difference when the people back home were praying for us and when they weren’t,” Chaplain Murphy told us. “It was like night and day.” Besides the scorching temperatures, summer also brought many reports of death, when conditions were the worst and morale was the lowest. But, … [Read more...]

I had taught a prayer meeting message one evening based on the passage in John 4 (“being wearied from his journey” – verse 6), using Jesus as an example of: a) one who tired; He was just like us. b) one who would not use fatigue as an excuse for missing an opportunity to serve; He was teaching us to go against our self-centeredness. c) one who was energized by such labor; He was showing us the fruits of such faithfulness. I had taught a prayer meeting message one evening based on the passage in John 4 (“being wearied from his journey” – verse 6), using Jesus as an example of: a) one who tired; He was just like us. b) one who would not use fatigue as an excuse for missing an opportunity to serve; He was teaching us to go against our self-centeredness. c) one who was energized by such labor; He was showing us the fruits of such faithfulness. Not two minutes after the closing prayer, a young woman walked up with her two small sons. I recognized her as a single mother we had frequently given assistance to in the church office. To the best of my knowledge, she was a hard worker and was trying to get her life together. “I need to move tonight,” she told me. I said, “How’s that?” “I’ve rented a better apartment and I’m … [Read more...]

In almost 30 years as a minister, I have changed my perspective on many aspects of church life. One of the most significant changes is my perspective on conflict. In almost 30 years as a minister, I have changed my perspective on many aspects of church life. One of the most significant changes is my perspective on conflict. When I first started out in ministry, my perspective was conflict is always bad, must be avoided, is a sign of sin in a church, and is always detrimental to God’s work. What changed my mind? First, actually studying the Bible and learning what it says about church conflict. We often assume we know what the Bible says, but when we actually study it the results are surprising. Second, experiencing some church conflict and helping many other leaders through other conflicts. While experience must be interpreted in the context of Scripture, reflecting on and learning from experience is a valid method of understanding God’s works and ways. Over the next few issues, I will share some insights about “when conflict comes to church” based both on insights from the Bible and my experience as a leader. My early perspective on conflict can be summarized as follows, what I call my five myths of church … [Read more...]

Cross Point Baptist Church has prospered before and since it was chosen as a 2008 recipient of the Georgia Barnett Offering for State Missions. BENTON – Cross Point Baptist Church has prospered before and since it was chosen as a 2008 recipient of the Georgia Barnett Offering for State Missions. Started early this decade as an outgrowth from another church in the area, it constituted, floundered and had reverted to mission status when Tony Meinhardt was called as pastor of 20 people in 2007. With the financial support of Northwest Louisiana Baptist Association and the Louisiana Baptist Convention, the church bought 10 acres of land that geographically is in the center of the fastest-growing parish in the state, the pastor said. “We’re in a wonderful location,” Meinhardt said. “There are about 16,000 family units [houses and apartment dwellings] within a seven-mile radius.” Louisiana Baptist Builders led by Project Coordinators Steve Hayes and Jim Wyble managed construction starting in 2008 of a 10,000-square-foot building that today is well-used, the pastor said. “Our folks really had a heart to do this,” Meinhardt said. “They sacrificed, they gave and they worked hard. God honored it.” More than 100 … [Read more...]

When the Louisiana Department of Education chose its three [one each in the fifth, eighth, and twelfth grades] Students of the Year, they could not have expected two of those students to live in the same city. And what are the chances they also would attend the same church? SHREVEPORT – When the Louisiana Department of Education chose its three [one each in the fifth, eighth, and twelfth grades] Students of the Year, they could not have expected two of those students to live in the same city. And what are the chances they also would attend the same church? Henry Lin, Louisiana Middle School Student of the Year, and Nick Taylor, Louisiana High School Student of the Year, attend Ellerbe Road Baptist Church in Shreveport.            Taylor, a 2009 graduate of Byrd High School, said he particularly enjoys working with youth and children. In summer, when most of his church activity picks up, he works at the various camps and Vacation Bible Schools. “It’s fun being able to work with them,” he said. “They start looking up to you.”    Lin, also an active youth group participant, uses his gift for piano to minister in the church, sometimes for the youth praise brand and others for the church offertory.  When asked why … [Read more...]

The rural Fairview Baptist Church is a church with an outsize heart for missions. COUSHATTA – The rural Fairview Baptist Church is a church with an outsize heart for missions. Matt (wife Jana) Endris is pastor. Richard (wife Pam) Waters is chairman of the missions committee. “The Lord has blessed our church,” Endris said. “I began praying, about how God would have us use the resources He has blessed us with. He impressed on me that we need to be a conduit of these blessings. We want to be Acts 1:8 in the way we contribute our money and the way we involve our church in mission work.” Acts 1:8 in the Holman Christian Standard Bible reads: But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the uttermost parts of the earth. About 180 people attend Sunday morning worship at Fairview Coushatta, which is about an hour from Shreveport and 20 minutes from Natchitoches. “People come here from four parishes,” Endris said. “It’s a regional church.” It’s a giving church. Twelve percent of its offerings go to missions through the Cooperative Program, Southern Baptists’ method of supporting missions and ministries of state conventions and the … [Read more...]