Submitted by philip on Wed, 08/15/2012 - 01:00   By Diana Chandler, Baptist Press MONTREAT, N.C. (BP) – Billy Graham established a precedent early in his ministry during America’s days of racial segregation by only proceeding with a crusade if blacks and whites could sit together in the audience. Graham’s standard resonated with Fred Luter during a July 26 visit with the evangelist at his home in Montreat, N.C. Graham applauded Luter’s election as the first African American president of the Southern Baptist Convention. “Dr. Graham was really excited about the future of the Southern Baptist Convention, and he was real excited that the convention had elected an African American president,” Luter said. “He’s always been one who believed in the different ethnic groups. There was a time when he wouldn’t even have his crusades in a town if other ethnic groups were not included. He wanted to make it inclusive, so he was really excited about [the election].” While race relations was not the main topic of the informal meeting, Luter said Graham did mention his support of racial equality in South Africa. “[We talked about] when he went to Africa to help end Apartheid there and how he got a chance to … [Read more...]

  By Staff, LBC Communications More than an offering...Georgia Barnette State Missions Georgia Barnette is more than an offering. It is an intentional effort that focuses our prayers and our resources on missions and ministries in Louisiana.  In honor of 200 years of Baptist Ministry in the state, the goal this year is $2 million.  It’s a big goal, exceeded only by the task that lies before us: impacting every person in Louisiana with the Gospel.  To view the videos or download resources, go towww.GeorgiaBarnette.org. When will awakening begin? “It’s going to begin when enough people are transformed so that we change the culture. We’ve got to change the culture and it won’t be changed by the statehouse. It has to be changed through individual people getting their lives transformed by the Lord Jesus Christ.” – John Bud Trailer  There’s still time to lead your church through the 21 Days of Prayer. Several are doing so in conjunction with the beginning of the school year and others are planning to begin 21 days prior to the election. Check out the Awaken Facebook page (facebook.com/AwakenLouisiana) or visit LBC.org/Awaken for more information and resources. It’s Time for an Awakening in Louisiana!  Igniters for … [Read more...]

  By Jerry Love, LBF Communications ALEXANDRIA – Despite market volatility in recent months, positive return numbers greeted the Trustees of the Louisiana Baptist Foundation at its regular quarterly meeting July 31 at the Louisiana Baptist Building in Alexandria. Travis Morehart of Shreveport chaired the morning Investment Committee, Wayne Hunt of Houma headed the Operating Committee, and Board President Cornelius Tilton of New Orleans presided over the afternoon meeting of the full Board of Trustees. The morning started with the Investment Committee hearing a report on the LBF investment returns from Lee Morris of Graystone Consulting. The current investment environment continues to be one of low rates and low return, Morris said. Despite swings in the stock markets the LBF portfolio is doing well thus far this year. The Group Investment Fund, which is the strategy used to invest the majority of the endowment funds held by the Foundation, has gained 5.41 percent since the beginning of the year, exceeding its benchmark by 80 basis points or .8 percent. The LBF Fixed Income Fund outpaced its benchmark by 2.92 percent, with a total return year to date of 4.05 percent. The Equity Fund returned a total of 6.15 percent … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Wed, 08/15/2012 - 01:00 Senior event: For 35 years, so far, First Baptist Church of Minden – east of Shreveport on I-20 – has hosted what they informally refer to as “summer camp for senior adults,” although its official name is “senior adult revival and mini chautauqua.” About 325 seniors from 21 churches participate in a 3-day event that this year included David Ring as speaker, Argile Smith, Ph.D., as Bible teacher, and Jim Bob & Louverl Griffin as musicians.   By Karen L. Willoughby, Managing Editor MINDEN – With little fanfare but amazing attention to detail, First Baptist Church of Minden hosts an event each summer designed to minister to senior adults from across Northern Louisiana. They’ve been leading what officially is known as a senior adult revival and mini chautauqua – “chautauqua” meaning “a summer school or educational meeting held in the summer,” according towww.dictionary.com. It’s named after the lake in upstate New York where it first took place. “We call it summer camp for senior adults,” says Bill Crider, pastor of that age group at First Minden, where Leland Crawford is senior pastor. People from 21 churches participated this early … [Read more...]

  By Staff, Baptist Message ARRIVALS/DEPATURES n Billy (wife Tommie) Pierce, new as interim pastor of First Baptist Homer. n Temple Baptist Ruston, Jeremy Asher, new as Minister of Music. Pastor: Rick Byargeon. n Nathan Jernigan, new as minister of music and outreach at Mulberry Baptist in Houma. Pastor: Steve Graves. n Alan Miller, new as transitional pastor at Alto Baptist in Alton. n Joshua Currie, new as associate pastor at Trinity Natchitoches. Pastor: George “Butch” Rogers. n Boomer (wife Abbie) Cates, new as minister of youth at Crockett Point Baptist in Crowville/Winnfield. Pastor: Joe Senn. n Rickey (wife Patsy) Robertson, new in June as pastor of Coldwater Baptist in Hagewood. n Josh (wife Ashley) Currie, new as associate pastor and youth director at Trinity Baptist Natchitoches. Pastor: George Rogers. n Tom Williams, resigns as minister of music and education from Ebenezer Baptist in Jonesboro. Pastor: Randy Lee. n Wayne Gray resigns as pastor of First Baptist Ferriday. n Wayne Sistrunk, new as pastor of Evergreen Baptist in Bernice. n Bob (wife Suzanne) Jameson resigned as pastor of First Baptist Gibsland to be assistant director of the Jerusalem Prayer Center in Israel. n A.R. “Pete” (wife Kathy) … [Read more...]

  By Les Sillars, World News Magazine Service (WNS) – Media coverage of the Olympics seldom mentioned the faith of the competitors, even though many of these men and women are sincere Christians. Here are brief profiles of seven world-class athletes from the United States who competed in London and whose boldness for Christ is something worth cheering. TERVEL DLAGNEV MEN’S 120-KILOGRAM FREESTYLE WRESTLING In high school Tervel Dlagnev, 26, who was born in Bulgaria and raised in Arlington, Texas, was an avowed atheist and a troublemaker. But he became a believer through the influence of Christian teammates on his high school and college wrestling teams. Now he collects stuffed animals and his wife, Kirsten, told the Cleveland Plain Dealer, “I feel like he pays a lot of attention and he really cares about knowing, ‘Am I being a good husband? Am I giving you what you need? Am I leading you spiritually? Are there any areas I’m lacking as a husband?’” Dlagnev has an impressive international record and a good shot at gold in London. “Jesus is my life,” he wrote recently, “and it’s been cool to experience Him through this sport I have a passion for.” MAYA MOORE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL The most dominant basketball … [Read more...]

  By World News Magazine Service (WNS) – Despite years of legal attack from Planned Parenthood, South Dakota may continue requiring abortion doctors to inform pregnant mothers that abortion may increase their risk of suicide. The full 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling July 24 means that the last remaining contested provision of the state’s informed-consent law, passed in 2005, is constitutional. “A woman’s right to make a fully informed choice is more important than Planned Parenthood’s bottom line,” said Steven H. Aden, Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) senior counsel. “If Planned Parenthood truly cared about the well-being of women, it would not try to prevent them from being informed of the well-documented risk of suicide that accompanies abortion.” Planned Parenthood sued South Dakota over the law in 2006. DOMA’s Day  of Reckoning (WNS) – In the noisy days after the Supreme Court issued its healthcare decision, the Obama administration filed two cases with the high court challenging the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). The July 3 filings gained little attention but they, coupled with disagreement about DOMA among lower courts, mean the Supreme Court is almost certain to take at least one case on marriage … [Read more...]