By Jeff Iorg, President Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary My grandmother died in March. She was a devout Christian who lived a full life of service to God and others. Before it was cool, she helped start a church that has grown to be one of the strongest in its area. People at my grandmother’s service spoke of her personal witness to them, her direct way of getting to the point about spiritual matters, and her constant love for those who struggled with life’s challenges. She truly was a remarkable woman. My earliest memory of her was going to her house for Christmas when I was only 6 or 7 years old. I wanted a watch for Christmas: not some toy, but a grown-up watch to show everyone my budding maturity. On Christmas Eve, grandmother said we each could open one present. I scanned the tree, looking for the smallest box that just might be my watch. Nothing really matched watch-size, but one rectangular box had possibilities. I selected that gift, hopeful it would fulfill my dreams. I opened it enthusiastically. It was a Bible – about the worst gift imaginable for me at the time. My disappointment was more than evident. Who gives a kid a Bible for Christmas? It was a zippered, King James Version, red-letter edition, with my … [Read more...]

By James Smith, Editor Florida Baptist Witness One side talks about choice. The other side talks about life. In the abortion debate, there are few times when clarity breaks through so that only the most ardently committed, truly pro-abortion advocates can fail to see – or at least admit – the moral reality of abortion. Such a moment of clarity occurred March 27 before a Florida House of Representatives committee considering a bill that would provide protections to children born alive after a failed abortion. The measure would require medical attention be given after “botched” abortions – that is, where the baby lived rather than died. A Planned Parenthood lobbyist opposed the bill, dumbfounding even a life-long pro-choice lawmaker. During the Civil Justice Subcommittee’s consideration of the “Infants Born Alive Act” (HB 1129), Alisa LaPolt Snow, a lobbyist representing Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates, testified that what happens to a live baby of a “botched” abortion should be the decision of the woman and her doctor. The bill “inserts politics where it does not belong,” said Snow, never minding the fact that the bill sponsor, Rep. Cary Pigman, R-Avon Park, is an emergency medicine physician. “Decisions … [Read more...]

By Bill Warren, NOBTS Question: What was marriage like in the time of Jesus? Bill Warren responds: Marriage customs were indeed different in the Roman context, especially compared with our context. Marriages were based on legal contracts between families with regard to two members of those families. One ancient marriage contract stipulates that if a dowry has been received from the bride’s family, with the requirement that if the bride is not treated well, or is turned out from the home, or another wife is brought into the home, then the dowry has to be repaid 150 percent. In exchange, the wife is required not to be absent from the home at night without the consent of her husband and is not to do anything that would be dishonorable for the home, like being with another man, or else she forfeits the dowry. What was not mentioned in the marriage contract was love. The husband had to provide a decent life – food, shelter, and the like – for his wife; he did not have to love her. And the wife was to keep peace in the home, with no command to love her husband. Hopefully love also became part of the marriage, but that was not part of the legal contract. A sizeable dowry brought greater protection to the woman and provided a … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Wed, 04/24/2013 - 10:17 A member of First Lafayette muscles a bag of top soil over to a flower bed as part of Campus Clean-Up Day on the University of Louisiana at Lafayette campus. By Rachel Ortego, Regional Reporter LAFAYETTE – “First Baptist Church Has Left the Building.” That paraphrase of a catchy slogan typifies the outreach and community involvement of First Baptist Lafayette. The effect of the church’s annual day of community service – called “First Baptist Loves Lafayette” – ripples throughout the community, local schools and the university. “Our ultimate goal is to get people out serving and engaging the community,” says Andrea McKenzie, minister of missions and college students at First Lafayette. “Churches have a tendency to do safe and comfortable mission projects, in areas where ministry is already being done. Our challenge is to serve our community while simultaneously engaging people who are far from God. “ Recent excitement has come on two fronts: when the church decided to “adopt” as this year’s exclusive focus, the “unreached people group” of about 17,000 students, faculty and staff at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, located just three blocks from the church. In … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message SHREVEPORT – The building Louisiana College purchased to house its proposed law school has been placed on the market. The former Joe D. Waggonner Federal Building, located in Shreveport, which was expected to be the home of LC’s Judge Paul Pressler School of Law, was recently listed with Sealy Real Estate Services LLC a real estate company specializing in commercial properties with corporate offices in Shreveport and Dallas, Texas. The listing for the building on the Sealy web site, which was bought by LC in February 2011, does not indicate a purchase price. Beth F. King, the agent handling the listing, recently told The Town Talk, Alexandria’s daily newspaper, “the 154,000-square foot building and 2.35-acre lot” located in downtown Shreveport “could be listed for about $4 million.” The listing also indicates the building is for lease. A description of the property, obtained online, indicates the former Federal Building, constructed in 1972, consists of eight floors and 152,000 square feet. Among its amenities are: five high speed elevators, three courtrooms with all support facilities, and an attached garage with 300 parking spaces. Originally listed for sale at $1.5 million, LC purchased the … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Wed, 04/24/2013 - 10:21 Kevin Billiot By Holly Jo Linzay, Special to the Message MONTGOMERY – Kevin Billiot daily puts on the armor of God as he faces spiritual warfare in his role as a pastor and as the police chief for the town of Montgomery. “As a police chief, I’m exposed to humanity at its worst,” Billiot said. The rural Grant Parish town of Montgomery, with a population of about 750 citizens, is a relatively quiet community, Billiot adds, but the police action comes in spurts. “It gets hectic,” Billiot said. “There are drugs, alcoholism, shootings and deaths. It can be psychologically, emotionally and physically challenging. The spiritual warfare can be pretty intense. But God is faithful and has blessed us.” Serving as the pastor of Northside Baptist Church in Montgomery and as the police chief was an unexpected calling in Billiot’s life. For most of his adult life, Billiot was a self-employed businessman in New Orleans. “In 2009, I surrendered to the Lord’s call to enter into ministry,” recalled Billiot, adding that for the next year he preached in various churches. He accepted his first pastorate at Northside Baptist in November 2010. Five months later, the mayor and town council … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Wed, 04/24/2013 - 10:24 The Christian action sports ministry called “Real Encounter” and their performance before 200 children at the Mamou skating rink in late March resulted in 63 children coming forward for Christ: 30 of them for salvation and 33 re-dedications. By Rachel Ortego, Regional Reporter MAMOU – They came. They rode. They reached. They are the Christian action sports ministry called “Real Encounter” and their performance before 200 children at the Mamou skating rink in late March resulted in 63 children coming forward for Christ: 30 of them for salvation and 33 re-dedications. The group of young men in this Missouri-based outreach combines high energy music, motorcycles, mountain bikes and BMX bikes in daring feats to connect young people with the word of God. For Pastor Travis Turner of North Eunice Baptist Church, the clarity of their message is what accounted for such a good response. “We hear lots of different presentations like this with groups using skits and performances but, in most, the gospel is not clear. These guys, they knocked it out of the park,” Turner said. “We don’t know how many of these conversions or re-dedications were sincere, but we do know we gave those … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Wed, 04/24/2013 - 10:27 Mike Thibodeaux, Grand Champion By Jerry Love, LBF Communications ALEXANDRIA – Picture a vast spread of open fields dotted with a few trees and bushes; the new grass working hard to push the winter cover of brown away. Scattered about are club-wielding men swinging mightily, at times quietly waiting to approach their target and other times yelling loudly as they move quickly across the undulating expanse. A volley of cheers erupts over here, a quiet groan can be discerned over there …. Is this some primitive battlefield? Nahhh, it’s the 2013 Spring Baptist Golf Fellowship, which took place April 8-9 at Links on the Bayou. Golfers came from across Louisiana, along with a couple of interlopers from Texas, to converge on the Alexandria area for a time of hitting the links, good healthy back-slapping camaraderie and the pursuit of a few trophies and prizes. Of course it would not be a Baptist meeting without good food thrown in the mix. The Baptist Golf Fellowship, sponsored by the Louisiana Baptist Foundation and the Baptist Message, is a time for pastors and laypersons to come together for a time of recreation, relaxation and light-hearted competition around the game … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Wed, 04/24/2013 - 10:29 First Baptist Church DeRidder took first place again this year. Members of the the team include Diz Smith, Dennis Millsaps, Jerry Istre and Tony Branham. They had a combined score of 320, 9 strokes better than the competition. Select rating Give it 1/5 Give it 2/5 Give it 3/5 Give it 4/5 Give it 5/5 … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Wed, 04/24/2013 - 10:30 The winning team for the scramble was Jerry Price, Fred Morgan, Tony Branham and Don Fox. They combined for a score of 60 for the round. Select rating Give it 1/5 Give it 2/5 Give it 3/5 Give it 4/5 Give it 5/5 Give it 1/5 Give it 2/5 Give it 3/5 Give it 4/5 Give it 5/5 … [Read more...]