Bethel Ministries Carey Baptist Association JENNINGS – According to Pastor Mike Landry, “things are hopping” for Jesus at Bethel Ministries. “We have a huge fall festival planned for October 25th,” Landry said. “We’ll probably have seven or eight fun jumps, inflatables; a rock wall.” He’s expecting a crowd. In years past, “We’ve had as high as 1,000” people attend, he said. “We’ve put a lot of effort and finances” into the planning of the festival. Seeds that have been planted and watered by his congregation are being reaped monthly. “We had several saved and baptized last month,” Landry said. “We had three saved this month.” Because of hurricane damage, Landry and congregation members decided to advertise in the paper that they would help clean up yards. “We’ve done eight so far,” he said.     While doing clean-up, he and his members tell people about Jesus and his love. They plan on doing a lot of clean-up ministry during the Thanksgiving holiday. The communities of Hackborn and Cameron were hit very hard by the hurricanes. This is where his congregation members will work.     “It’s a great opportunity . . . to share the gospel,” he added.     The church also runs Bethel Christian Academy, a … [Read more...]

COMINGS AND GOINGS -David Goza (wife Dana), new as pastor Jefferson Baptist, Baton Rouge. -Roger D. Cole resigns Pine Grove Baptist, Jena. -Roger Dunlap, new as pastor, Eden Baptist, Denham Springs. -T. W. Terral, new as interim pastor, First Baptist, Denham Springs. -Lamar Davis, new as church administrator, First Baptist, Denham Springs. NEEDED -Part-time youth minister and part-time minister of music at Westside Emmanuel Baptist, Bogalusa; call 985.732.9602. -Part-time volunteer music director at Eden Baptist, Denham Springs; call 225.665.0042 or 225.665.2681. AVAILABLE -Roger D. Cole for interim pastor, supply, pastor; call 318.542.8008. ANNIVERSARIES AND CELEBRATIONS -HAMMOND – First Baptist: Homecoming Celebration 11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 9; Hunter Erwin, singer; dinner on the grounds; Jim Lancaster, pastor. -TAYLOR – Taylor Baptist: 119th Anniversary, Oct. 26; Jimmy Eppinette, pastor. -LAFAYETTE – Northside Baptist: 68th Anniversary, Nov. 3; Samuel Blaylock, pastor. -GOLDONNA – Goldonna Baptist: 127th  Homecoming Celebration 9:45 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 9 singing; 10:45 a.m. worship; Ronnie Flurry, speaker; Doyle McGrew, pastor. -MINDEN – First Baptist: Bill Ichter Sunday, 60 years in … [Read more...]

Governor Bobby Jindal recently named Janie Wise to the Louisiana Commission on Marriage and Family. BATON ROUGE – Governor Bobby Jindal recently named Janie Wise to the Louisiana Commission on Marriage and Family. Wise is the strategist for women’s missions and ministry in the Louisiana Baptist Convention. “I’m just looking forward to what comes from this,” Wise said. “I’d like to share God’s view on marriage. It’s not only one man/one woman, but one marriage. … Children need a mom and dad, grandparents, extended family. That’s how they learn to get along with people.” The Louisiana Commission on Marriage and Family is an entity within the executive department that serves to propose programs, policies, incentives and curriculum regarding marriage and family by collecting and analyzing data on the social and personal effects of marriage and child-bearing within the state of Louisiana, according to a press release from the governor’s news office. Wise in late summer as the head of a women’s organization – LBC’s WMU – was invited to join the 12-member Louisiana Women’s Policy and Research Commission. When she asked how they got her name, she was told “Joe Aguillard,” president of Louisiana College, Wise said. That … [Read more...]

Their lives center on missions, operations and training; strict time schedules; days and, often, months spent away from family; and a pressure to perform that can mean life or death. They live in a world that can be cold, devoid of light and empty of love – figuratively and sometimes literally. NORFOLK, Va. (BP) – Their lives center on missions, operations and training; strict time schedules; days and, often, months spent away from family; and a pressure to perform that can mean life or death. They live in a world that can be cold, devoid of light and empty of love – figuratively and sometimes literally. This is the reality of America’s soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines; each has a unique role in global defense, yet they are connected in knowing what it means to serve, to execute orders, to be ready to give one’s life for freedom and democracy. There is something about this environment, the trials, the tribulations, both in the job itself and in the relationship strains caused by it, that brings military personnel closer to the Lord and their fellow comrades in Christ. And it is within this environment that a number of organizations, some nonprofit, some church-based, have come alongside military personnel to … [Read more...]

In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first Armistice Day in the United States, marking the end of World War I that occurred at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice. In 1954, Congress changed the name to Veterans Day in order to honor American veterans of all wars. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first Armistice Day in the United States, marking the end of World War I that occurred at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice. In 1954, Congress changed the name to Veterans Day in order to honor American veterans of all wars. “It is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations,” Congress said in a resolution passed in 1926. Those who have served in the American military have a unique perspective on the meaning of the day, and three combat veterans shared their thoughts with Baptist Press. Scott O’Grady, a former U.S. Air Force captain, was helping enforce the NATO no-fly zone over Bosnia in 1995 … [Read more...]

The Luke of the New Testament was a reporter, seeing lives changed and churches started firsthand. Documenting events like those today requires more sophisticated equipment than in Luke’s time. The Luke of the New Testament was a reporter, seeing lives changed and churches started firsthand. Documenting events like those today requires more sophisticated equipment than in Luke’s time. For C.S. Stanley, that can run the gamut from memory cards for a camera at $50 each, to video editing software at about $3,000, allowing Stanley to present a written story, photos, video and sometimes audio, together.  For just $50 a day, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering helps Stanley by providing his transportation from one story coverage to the next. RICHMOND, Va. (BP) – Living in a hut in West Africa might cost $12 a month. But the monthly rent for an apartment in Moscow can run about $2,000. Dollar examples of how the  Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions provides for Southern Baptist missionaries around the world are featured at a new website, Lottie Moon @ Work, at imb.org/lottieatwork. The website includes 19 stories geared toward adults, students and children and also grouped by world region -- from the … [Read more...]

What will the seminary of the 21st century look like? NEW ORLEANS (BP) – What will the seminary of the 21st century look like? Chuck Kelley, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, set forth a vision for the seminary’s future during the NOBTS trustees’ fall meeting Oct 15. Theological education began experiencing major changes after the technological advances of the 1990s, Kelley said, and dramatic changes will continue sweeping through theological and ministry training in the years ahead. Change and innovation, he said, are new constants. In a presentation titled “Back to Our Future,” Kelley outlined his vision for a 21st-century seminary. He compared the situation in ministry training to that of a gazelle and a lion in Africa. Each day an African gazelle must outrun the fastest lion to survive. The lion, on the other hand, faces death if he does not outrun the slowest gazelle. “In Africa, it doesn’t matter if you are a lion or a gazelle, you better wake up running,” Kelley said. “That’s the way it is now in the world of theological education. “Change has become an unavoidable force that will permanently affect the shape of higher education,” he said. NOBTS is well equipped to face these new … [Read more...]

The Montpelier Baptist congregation celebrated the church’s 100th anniversary during the morning service Sept. 28. About 250 people participated in the service to give praise to God for the ministry they have experienced at the church throughout the years. MONTPELIER – The Montpelier Baptist congregation celebrated the church’s 100th anniversary during the morning service Sept. 28. About 250 people participated in the service to give praise to God for the ministry they have experienced at the church throughout the years. Learning about the church’s history was life-changing, said Patsy Addison, a member. “I was impressed by the hardships and struggles the founders and builders of the first church faced in establishing Montpelier Baptist Church,” Addison said. “They did not give up, and our church still stands 100 years later as a testimony of what they accomplished through their faith in God.” She and fellow church members Inez Tate, Charlene Addison, and W.E. Dykes were the Church History Committee; they did the research for the day’s program. When the church’s ministry was just starting out, it was only attended by local people, Addison said. “Now, people come from miles around,” she said. “The church has … [Read more...]

Much has been done in New Orleans since 2005’s Hurricane Katrina; much remains to be done. NEW ORLEANS – Much has been done in New Orleans since 2005’s Hurricane Katrina; much remains to be done. Southern Baptists, in great measure because of the work and ministry done by thousands of trained Disaster Relief and other volunteers, have acquired a good reputation in the multi-parish region covered by BAGNO, the Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans. The question before pastors and associational leaders – especially in light of the impending retirements next spring of Director of Missions Joe McKeever and his second, Freddie Arnold – is how best to capitalize on the good that has been done for the glory of God and in the name of Jesus. In addition to McKeever’s and Arnold’s retirements, BAGNO and the North American Mission Board are in discussion about the future management and ownership of the four mission centers NAMB owns in New Orleans, as well as the future oversight of NOAH (New Orleans Area Hope) Rebuild efforts. Further compounding the need for a new strategy: the region has about 50 fewer Southern Baptist congregations, and about 160,000 fewer area residents. Consideration of these three concerns led … [Read more...]

One Christmas a mother decided not to remind her children to write thank-you notes for the gifts they received. One Christmas a mother decided not to remind her children to write thank-you notes for the gifts they received. As a result, they never sent their grandmother acknowledgements of the generous checks she had given. The next year, things were different, however.  “The children came over in person to thank me,” the grandmother told a friend. “How wonderful!” the friend exclaimed. “What do you think caused the change in behavior?” “Oh, that’s easy,” the grandmother replied. “This year I didn’t sign the checks.” Cultivating a thankful heart in children is a difficult task in our society today. Every parent knows how challenging it is just to have children say “thank you” without being prompted. Actually cultivating a spirit of gratitude can be even more difficult. What can parents do to help children develop a thankful heart? Consider these suggestions. Serve as a role model of gratitude in your own life. Express your thanks for God’s blessings during prayer times with the children. Make a point of saying “thank you” when the children have been helpful or done a good job with school work. Show your … [Read more...]