Submitted by philip on Tue, 03/12/2013 - 11:05 Children and adults of all faiths and no faiths are welcome to participate in the Friday evening Bible study at the home of Suresh and Vain Chiruguru in Lake Charles. By Rachel Ortego, Regional Reporter LAKE CHARLES – Suresh Chiruguru has been on mission trips to India where the government is so hostile to Americans bringing the gospel message that cameras have to be hidden after pictures are taken and no videos of visiting missionaries can be made. He’s trekked into forests in Southeast Asia to minister to tribes where terrorists lie in wait for Christians. But there is another mission field closer to home with as much impact and that is the one around his coffee table every Friday night. Chiruguru and his wife Vain open their home every week for “Friday night prayers,” as they call it, where American and Indian Christians come to hear the word of God and are regularly joined by Muslims, Hindi and others. They take this responsibility seriously. “When someone comes to Friday night prayer they are looking with a hungry heart,” Chiruguru says. “I am responsible for their soul at that time. God puts his touch on that person. I never regret for anything Friday night … [Read more...]

Death John Vandercook, founder of Global Maritime Ministries in New Orleans, died March 6. He was a member of Mulberry Baptist in Houma.   Needed/GIVING First Baptist Belle Chasse seeks a full-time pastor. Call: 573.280.4013 or email: jwcweld@yahoo.com First Baptist Crowley seeks a pastor. Send resume to: Pastor Search Committee, First Baptist Church, 228 E 4th St, Crowley LA 70526. First Baptist Pine Prairie seeks a part-time music minister. Send resume to Search Committee, PO Box 757, Pine Prairie LA 70576.   Homecomings, Anniversaries, Revivals First Baptist Maringouin: Revival 6:30 p.m. March 13-16 and 10 a.m. March 17, followed by dinner on the grounds. Speakers: 13 – Blaine Allen; 14 – Freddie Rodrigue; 15 – Ricky Boone; 16 – Gary Mitchell;  17 – Chuck Mitchell. Music: Stacey Tilley and Amelia Weber. Pastor: Jimmy Womack. First Baptist, Cecilia: Revival 6 p.m. March 15-16, 9:30 a.m. March 17. Evangelist: Joe Aulds. Pastor: Louis Charrier. Bluff Creek Baptist, Clinton: Revival 7 p.m. March 22, 23; 10:15 a.m. March 24 with dinner on the grounds. Speaker: Joe Baugh; Music: Raymond Taylor; Pastor Billy Carpenter. Occupy II Baptist, Pitkin: Revival 7 p.m. March 29-30 and 10 a.m. Easter Sunday, March 31. … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message The SecretChurch simulcast set for this Friday from 6 p.m. to midnight includes the follow churches. Please note: the list does NOT include New Chapel Hill Baptist Church. That was an error in the most recent issue of the Baptist Message. The SecretChurch simulcast will be available at the following churches: Coteau Baptist Houma First New Orleans Woodland Park Baptist Hammond Istrouma Baton Rouge First Baptist Harrisonburg Kingsville Baptist Ball Midway Baptist Jena Magnolia Baptist Saline Calvary Baptist Ruston Downsville Baptist First Baptist Swartz Bellaire Baptist Bossier City Sale Street Baptist Lake Charles 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...]

Submitted by philip on Thu, 03/28/2013 - 15:07 The Louisiana College Board of Trustees met for two days (March 18-19) at the Granberry Conference Center. The full board is to meet again April 30. By Kelly Boggs, Message Editor PINEVILLE – The Louisiana College Board of Trustees meet in a regularly scheduled session on March 18 -19. Monday was dedicated to the meetings of the Executive Board as well as that of sub-committees. The full board met on Tuesday. Convened in the Granberry Conference Center on the campus of LC, the Tuesday meeting was held in executive session and lasted from 9:00 a.m. to until just before 3:00 p.m. The only information released after the eight hour meeting was that Joe Aguillard remains the president of LC and the board will meet again on April 30 to address the budget and other items of regular business. Though the board meeting was conducted in executive session and attended only by trustees, which is not unusual for the LC board, all media representatives were allowed in Granberry Conference Center, unlike the Feb. 25 meeting when media was not allowed on campus. The closed nature of the meeting coupled with the fact that in the days leading up to the meeting there had been public … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Thu, 03/28/2013 - 15:09 By Karen L. Willoughby, Managing Editor ALEXANDRIA – A type of scarf hand-made on an Indonesian island that had been hanging on her wall for eight years opened Kay Bennett’s eyes to God leading her into becoming an advocate for people victimized by Human Trafficking. Bennett has been director of the Baptist Friendship House in New Orleans since 1997; she worked among the homeless for 10 years before that at the Brantley Center in New Orleans. Bennett also is a spokesperson on Human Trafficking for the Southern Baptist Convention’s North American Mission Board. She told the story of what technically is a “stole” – a scarf-life garment with symbols embroidered on it – during a six-hour seminar in mid-March at Calvary Baptist Church in Alexandria. The Human Trafficking seminar was sponsored by Calvary and the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and Family Ministries. “I’ve done thousands of conferences, but I’ve never seen an audience as intense as this one,” said Nelda Seal, event coordinator and a member of the Calvary Woman’s Missionary Union. Seal also is retired as the Louisiana Baptist Convention’s WMU executive director. She spoke of their “rapt … [Read more...]

By Kelly Boggs, Message Editor Criticism is an unavoidable reality for anyone in a position of leadership. “To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing,” observed American writer Elbert Hubbard. It is not an option for a leader to do, say and be nothing. As a result, throughout the ages those who have accepted the mantle of leadership have had to, at one time or another, experience the assessment of a critic. Sometimes the criticism is just and, as such, becomes a tool to help shape character which produces a more effective leader. Other times criticism can be unfounded and a leader has to learn how respond without becoming bitter. The Bible is filled with leaders who faced both just and unjust criticism. Moses comes immediately to mind, as does the Apostle Paul. These men were given difficult leadership tasks and sought to be faithful to the Lord. Even so, they were the targets of intense criticism. J. Floyd Franks, the pastor of Memorial Baptist Church in Killeen, Texas, for more than 30 years, was one of my mentors. He taught me to keep things in perspective when it came to dealing with critics. He would say, “When criticism and praise affect you the same way, then – and only then – are you … [Read more...]

Editors note: Scott Culpepper contacted the Baptist Message and stated that in his view our news article, Situation at Louisiana College Unfolds, March 12, 2013, implied that he wanted to “see Reformed theology dominate Louisiana College.”  Culpepper stated that his concern is with the leadership of Dr. Aguillard as Louisiana College’s President. The Baptist Message did not in its reporting of the issue intend to ascribe any particular motivation behind Culpepper’s actions or opinions but merely reported the facts surrounding the issues and persons involved.”   To the Editor I wanted to respond to the article you recently published on the situation at Louisiana College (Situation at Louisiana College Unfolds, March 12, 2013). The article implies that my expression of concern about the issues at Louisiana College was motivated by a desire to see Reformed theology dominate Louisiana College. It is impossible for me to state in quantifiable measures how little I care about seeing Reformed theology become dominant in any Baptist school, including Louisiana College.  This debate over “Calvinism” is a ridiculous sideshow distracting from more important issues that should concern us all. I believe Joe Aguillard … [Read more...]

By Bill Warren, NOBTS Question: What are the seven mortal sins, and where can I find them in the Bible? Bill Warren responds: The term “mortal sins” historically refers most often to cardinal sins, sins that were the source of all other sins. Starting in the fourth century, a list of seven cardinal sins was developed that became popular in the Middle Ages, with a corresponding list of virtues. Dante’s work, The Divine Comedy, gives the listing of the seven cardinal sins most commonly used in Western culture: lust (virtue = chastity), gluttony (temperance), greed (charity), sloth (diligence), wrath (patience), envy (kindness), and pride (humility). The concept of mortal sins versus venial sins developed later, with the difference being that some sins were more serious (mortal) than others (venial). Of course, all sins are serious in that they flow from being self-centered rather than God-centered and separate us from God and from one another, with an image-of-God-destroying impact on us and often hurtful consequences on those around us. Any and all sin is undesirable and to be avoided as we seek be faithful to God, not just so-called mortal sins. So are these seven sins listed together in the Bible? No, they … [Read more...]

By Bill Warren, NOBTS Thursday night before being crucified, Jesus celebrates a Passover meal with his disciples in Jerusalem, according to the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). This meal was a longtime tradition as the Jewish people looked back on the event that propelled them out of their slavery in Egypt under the power of Pharaoh and forward into a future that shaped them into the people they were and are to this very day. They became a distinct people in many ways as a result of the Passover event and what followed as they went through the trials and struggles in their wanderings, which culminated in them coming into a promised land. Later, under David, they would make plans for a central worship setting in Jerusalem, with the temple being built by Solomon, later destroyed in 587/586 B.C., and then rebuilt when the time of exile ended, with extensive improvements undertaken by Herod the Great. So Jesus and his disciples gathered in Jerusalem where the temple stood to celebrate the Passover meal and remember how God had freed his people from Egypt. But was it indeed a Passover meal? Some have questioned whether or not the meal that Thursday night was a Passover meal in light of the emphasis in John. … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Thu, 03/28/2013 - 15:17 Fred Luter speaks to African-American pastors and church leaders in North Carolina. By Shawn Hendricks, Baptist Press PLEASANT GARDEN, N.C. (BP) – Speaking to a group of mostly African-American pastors and church leaders, Fred Luter Jr. recently voiced both encouragement and concerns regarding a few issues Southern Baptists face today. Luter, pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans and president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), spoke at a breakfast that preceded the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina’s 2013 State Evangelism Conference at Pleasant Garden Baptist Church in Pleasant Garden, N.C. The first African-American to be elected as SBC president, Luter talked about everything from Calvinism to pastors standing up against societal pressures on issues such as gay marriage. He also encouraged them to join the 1% Challenge that encourages all Southern Baptist churches to consider a 1 percent-of-budget increase in Cooperative Program giving. “I’ve been a part of [the Southern Baptist] convention for 26 years,” Luter said. “This is not a perfect convention, but ... I would put this convention up to any in the … [Read more...]