By Karen L. Willoughby, Managing Editor   [img_assist|nid=7714|title=Packed Out|desc=Students at last year’s record-setting Youth Evangelism Celebration at the Rapides Parish Coliseum join together for a time of prayer.|link=none|align=right|width=640|height=427]ALEXANDRIA – More than 6,000 junior and senior high school students are anticipated to participate in the 2011 Youth Evangelism Celebration.   The annual event is to take place Nov. 20-21 at the Rapides Parish Coliseum, 5600 Coliseum Blvd. in Alexandria.   “We set a record last year with 7,024 in attendance,” said Kevin Boles, youth ministry strategist for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. “Our crowd will be large.”   About 40 students from Airline Baptist Church in Bossier City are among the thousands and youth and their leaders making plans to travel to YEC.   “It is an annual tradition for us,” said Lee Myers, Airline’s minister of youth. “It’s gotten bigger every year. Word of mouth is the best publicity. Kids come back raving about it.   “I think it’s important they get exposed to the messages that are preached and the atmosphere of worship,” Myers continued. “It’s just a good event to help energize … [Read more...]

By Karen L. Willoughby, Managing Editor   [img_assist|nid=7716|title=DR Tree Jack|desc=Disaster Relief chain saw teams from across Louisiana met at Dry Creek Baptist Camp to receive tree jacks invented by Mark Robin of Carey Baptist Association and orientation on the devices that enable DR teams to do jobs that without it would require a lifting device such as a crane.|link=none|align=right|width=640|height=471]LAKE CHARLES – Responding to Hurricanes Ivan, Katrina and Rita, the members of Carey Baptist Association’s Disaster Relief chain saw unit saw a need for a tool that would assist them to remove trees from houses and objects.   Mark Robin of First Baptist Church in Moss Bluff in 2007 built a jack that would enable the team to support the weight of a tree and to eliminate the weight of the tree from a house or object. This “tree jack” enabled jobs to be performed that previously would have needed a lifting device such as a crane, back-hoe or track hoe.   After removing all the weight of the tree’s canopy to expose the portion of the tree that was bearing weight on the house, the jack could then be used to transfer the weight of the tree from the house to the jack, using a 6-ton bottle … [Read more...]

ARRIVALS/DEPATURES   Clyde Lewis: new as pastor of Bethel Metropolitan Baptist Church in Lake Charles.   Brandon Oliver: new as pastor of First Baptist Church in Iowa.   Bob Lonadier, new as pastor of Horseshoe Mer Rouge.   Kevin (wife Christy) Nettles, new as youth pastor at First Keithville.   Shane (wife Michelle) Forest, new as associate pastor at North Keithville.   Michelle (husband Shane) Forest, new as youth minister at North Keithville.   Steve (wife Barbara) Pettey, new as pastor of Oak Hill Plain Dealing.   Cindy (husband Jonathan) Hardin, new as youth minister at Westwood Keithville.   Anne (husband Kenneth) Myers, new as music minister at Westwood Keithville.   Keith Payne: new as interim pastor of First Oil City.   Chad Hardbarger: new as pastor of Emmanuel Shreveport, from Plain Dealing.   Tom Cole: new as interim music minister at Shreve City Shreveport.       Needed/Giving   Part time youth/student ministers needed at New Hope Monroe, Oak Grove, Eros, Bayou Oaks. DOM: Jerry Price.   Pastor needed: Faith Bastrop. Send resumes to the … [Read more...]

By Holly Naylor, Baptist Press   WASHINGTON (BP) – Not one Christian church building is left standing in Afghanistan, according to the U.S. State Department. The last such public place of Christian worship was destroyed by its landowner in March 2010.   The U.S. State Department’s International Religious Freedom Report, which revealed the destruction of the final Afghan church building, said there was a decrease in religious freedom during the reporting period, which covered July to December of 2010. The decline was a result of the Afghanistan government’s failure to acknowledge mistreatment of Christians and other religious minorities, according to the September report.   “The lack of government responsiveness and protection for these groups and individuals contributed to the deterioration of religious freedom,” the report said.   Afghanistan’s constitution conveys a contradiction that has resulted in the restriction of religious freedom, according to the report. The document states Islam is the “religion of the state” but also declares that “followers of other religions are free to exercise their faith and perform their religious rites within the limits of the provisions of the … [Read more...]

By LBCH Communications   There are at least 145 million orphans around the world today. In the United States, there are over 400,000 children in the foster care system because it is unsafe or impossible for the children to be with their families.   More than 4,500 of those children in foster care live in Louisiana. These needy children are separated from their families and are “modern day” orphans.   Since 1899, Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home & Family Ministries has served some of God’s most vulnerable children through its on-campus residential home.   However, as more and more children have entered the state foster care system, with fewer than half the number of homes needed to care for them, the Children’s Home has established the Louisiana Baptist Foster & Adoption Network         (LBFAN).   The vision of LBFAN is to connect all Louisiana foster children to Christian families and churches and to minister to orphans worldwide.   By recruiting Christian foster and adoptive families and assisting Louisiana Baptist churches in developing foster care, adoption and orphan care support ministries, the Children’s Home is helping churches and families build a … [Read more...]

By LBCH Communications   [img_assist|nid=7723|title=Beth Green|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=76|height=100]MONROE – Beth Green is the new Director of Church and Community Ministries for the Children’s Home and is responsible for coordination of the Louisiana Baptist Foster & Adoption Network.   The vision of the Louisiana Baptist Foster & Adoption Network is to connect all Louisiana foster children to Christian families and churches and to minister to orphans worldwide.   Beth worked in the state foster care system for more than 19 years and has two nephews adopted through the state foster care system.   She has seen both professionally and personally the positive impact that Christian foster families have on the lives of vulnerable children.   “Not only are children safe and cared for in a physical sense, but children placed in Christian homes can experience the unconditional love of Christ that will make an eternal difference in their lives,” Green said.   A concern that Beth often hears from families considering foster parenting is their fear of becoming too attached to the children because many foster children eventually return … [Read more...]

By LBCH Communications   The Louisiana Baptist Foster & Adoption Network is partnering with churches and families across the state to equip them in establishing and providing support ministries.   The Gathering Place, a Southern Baptist church in Tioga, La., recently hosted a special service and church-wide luncheon to learn about the many ways churches and families can reach out to children in need.   Through this event, numerous families expressed interest in serving as foster and adoptive parents and several families will begin the certification process for foster care and adoption in the coming weeks.   Another church in the Central Louisiana area plans to establish a support group for foster and adoptive parents and is also providing a meeting room for foster parent training.   A church in the Monroe area is beginning a prayer support ministry to pray specifically for children available for adoption who need an adoptive family. A church in New Orleans has developed plans to build its first foster home and establish a multifaceted foster care and adoption ministry.   There are many ways Louisiana churches can bridge the gap between the heart of God and the … [Read more...]

By LBCH Communications   [img_assist|nid=7726|title=The McGrews|desc=Erin and Meredith McGrew, who have been foster parents for more than a year, have three children of their own: Katie, 19, Peter, 17, and Caroline, 14.|link=none|align=right|width=640|height=380]GOLDONNA – Erin and Meredith McGrew, members of Goldonna Baptist Church in Goldonna, La., have been foster parents for a little over a year.   The McGrews have three children of their own: Katie, age 19, Peter, age 17 and Caroline, age 14.   “The Lord led us to foster through a young man at our church,” Meredith McGrew said. “We were shown through him that there are many children out there whose lives need a touch from the Savior. God uses us, His children, to touch them.”   The McGrews began their foster care experience by contacting Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home to learn more about the process.   “We were excited to be able to work with a Christian ministry in that capacity,” Meredith McGrew said.   God taught them many lessons through the foster care certification process, the McGrews said.   “The Lord showed us through the training we were required to take that we would not only be … [Read more...]

By LBCH Communications   Louisiana Baptist Foster & Adoption Network will have a booth at the Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting at First Baptist Church of Covington, Nov. 14-15. Information about foster care, adoption, and orphan care will be available. Stop by and learn how your church can become a “Network” church and start making a difference in the lives of God’s most vulnerable children. … [Read more...]

By Karen L. Willoughby, Managing Editor   [img_assist|nid=7733|title=Dr. Masteller|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=427]It’s time to wake up. I believe we sense it has to be time. I pray … that together we could see revival and awakening.   – Rod Masteller   We can do far more together than we can individually. The Cooperative Program is a key.   – Craig Price.   We’ve heard it. We’ve seen it. We’ve sensed it. If not now, we might miss it. … I plead with you to understand: It’s time.   – Rod Masteller   We are God’s temple and He’s not going to put up with anything but purity.   – Rod Masteller.   We must stand on the principles this convention was founded upon. As a convention, are we ready to go wherever He leads?   – Joe Aguillard.   More than anything else, we need to return the Word of God to the church house.   – Chuck Quarles   The law is a culture-making profession.   – Michael Johnson   When we hear reports … of the decline in our culture, the problems in our marriages, the challenges in our legal system and the problems in our churches, we may be … [Read more...]