A recent article in the Baptist Message “Unchurched Americans Turned Off By Church, Open to Christians” has touched a nerve and sparked a fire in the hearts of some in North Louisiana. SHREVEPORT – A recent article in the Baptist Message “Unchurched Americans Turned Off By Church, Open to Christians” has touched a nerve and sparked a fire in the hearts of some in North Louisiana. Shreve City Baptist Church in Shreveport will sponsor a weekend camp meeting on the church grounds at the corner of Knight Street and East Washington on Oct. 3-5. In the event of inclement weather, the dates will be changed to the following weekend. The theme will be “Come as you are.” There will be something for everyone throughout the services, which will begin on a Friday evening and conclude on the following Sunday evening. Various speakers and music groups proclaiming the Gospel message and the love of Jesus will be in attendance. Some of those speaking will be Gene Nix, Eddie DeHondt, Roger Patterson, Paul Hayes, Dale Wooten, Allen Ainsworth, Melvin Lawrence, Bill Treadway, Randy Harper and Marvin Williams.   “We want everyone to know that they are welcome. They should feel free to come and go as they choose. And by the way, … [Read more...]

“…For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “…For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’  Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’” Psalm 98 BAYOU DULARGE – This verse fittingly describes the work Pastor Jerry Moser has been doing in the tiny south Louisiana fishing community of Bayou DuLarge for the last 26 years. With a portable sawmill, a knack for carpentry, and a giving heart, Moser has ministered to needy families – mostly Catholic – in … [Read more...]

Johnny Hunt, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, called for a “Great Commission resurgence,” a renewed zeal for proclaiming the Gospel similar to the fervor that went into the fight for biblical orthodoxy in recent decades. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – Johnny Hunt, president of the Southern Baptist Convention, called for a “Great Commission resurgence,” a renewed zeal for proclaiming the Gospel similar to the fervor that went into the fight for biblical orthodoxy in recent decades. During his first presidential address to the SBC Executive Committee in Nashville, Tenn., Sept. 22, Hunt quoted Daniel Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, who said, “When there was a theological drift, we corrected it. We must now correct our Great Commission drift.” “When you win less people to Jesus, you’re drifting from the Great Commission,” Hunt said, referring to the mandate Jesus gave His disciples at the end of Matthew 28 and to Southern Baptists’ less than ideal baptism numbers. Hunt also quoted Chuck Lawless, dean of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary’s Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth, who said, “We have stood faithfully for a message that we have chosen to keep to … [Read more...]

“Do this. It works!” Church leaders in Louisiana on Oct. 10-11 are invited to attend Unlimited Leadership: A Conference for the Leaders of Churches under 250 at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. NEW ORLEANS – “Do this. It works!” Church leaders in Louisiana on Oct. 10-11 are invited to attend Unlimited Leadership: A Conference for the Leaders of Churches under 250 at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.  This conference hosted by Unlimited Partnerships is specifically designed to help leaders of smaller churches learn how other small churches are applying big principles with great success.  “When I was on staff at Prestonwood Baptist Church we used to hold conferences and tell attendees, ‘This is what we are doing, but this will probably not work in your context,’” said Bill Taylor, president of Unlimited Partnerships. “Unlimited Leadership is a conference where we can say, ‘Do this. It works!’”  The conference will feature keynote speakers Jimmy Draper, president emeritus of LifeWay Christian Resources, Randy Hales, director of missions for Webster-Claiborne and Bienville Baptist Associations, and Allan Taylor, Minister of Education at First Baptist Church of Woodstock, Ga., where SBC President … [Read more...]

In the book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Steven Covey relates the following story by Frank Koch that first appeared in Proceedings, the magazine of the Naval Institute. In the book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Steven Covey relates the following story by Frank Koch that first appeared in Proceedings, the magazine of the Naval Institute. Two battleships assigned to the training squadron had been at sea on maneuvers in heavy weather for several days. I was serving on the lead battleship and was on watch on the bridge as night fell. The visibility was poor with patchy fog, so the captain remained on the bridge keeping an eye on all activities. Shortly after dark, the lookout on the wing of the bridge reported, ‘Light bearing on the starboard bow.’ “Is it steady or moving astern?” the captain called out. The lookout replied, “Steady, captain,” which meant we were on a dangerous collision course with that ship. The captain then called to the signalman, “Signal that ship: We are on a collision course, advise you change course 20 degrees.” Back came a signal, “Advisable for you to change course 20 degrees.” The captain said, “Send, I’m a captain, change course 20 degrees.” “I’m a … [Read more...]