By Jerry Love, Director of Planned Giving, Louisiana Baptist Foundation   Giving USA, a research foundation that publishes data and trends about charitable giving, recently released its annual report on philanthropy for the year 2010. The good news is that charitable giving increased by just over 2 percent this last year.   The not so good news is the 2 percent increase follows two of the worst annual declines in giving since the early 1970s.   Churches and ministry organizations still have gaping holes in their budgets beccause of decreased giving in 2008 and 2009.   A quote attributed to former president Jimmy Carter goes something like this: “When it comes to giving, some people will stop at nothing.” We can ponder the ironic humor of the statement but in this day and time it has become more reality than pun.   Too many people are not able to give, whether tithe or additional offerings, to their church or favorite ministry. While current giving in the U.S. likely will be stagnant until this recession ends, don’t let the economic difficulties give you an excuse to “stop at nothing.” PLAN to give, even if it is deferred to a later date.   Here are some ideas to … [Read more...]

[img_assist|nid=7660|title=Groundbreaking|desc=Victory Baptist Mission of Walker, La., held its groundbreaking service Saturday, Oct., on the 14-acre site located on North Corbin Road. In addition to the groundbreaking, the church burned the note on the paid-out, 14-acre site. The 10-year loan was paid out in two years. Victory Mission has partnered with Jeff Woodrich, Mission Church Builder/Strategist for the Louisiana Baptist Convention to build the 11,800 square foot building with donated labor. Judson Baptist Church and Walker Baptist Church are also partnering with Victory by helping to house and feed volunteers. The foundation is scheduled to be poured in October and construction will start on Jan. 2. 60 Volunteers from Tennessee will arrive in Walker on Jan. 1 to start the construction process by giving one week of their time. The next team will be from Mississippi and teams from Livingston Parish and throughout Louisiana will continue coming until the church is built. Anyone who would like to help build for the glory of God is welcome. Contact Cecil Dyess at 225.572.2134 or Steve Hayes, the on site coordinator, at 225.235.7807 to help.|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=393] … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message   Arrivals/Departures   John Reid: new as pastor of Calvary Slidell.   Kent Newell: new as pastor of Ebenezer Hammond.   Jim Hill: new as pastor of Victory Hammond.   Larry Kropog: new as pastor of First Tickfaw.   Ramon Rodriguez: new as pastor of Natalbany Hispanic and Grace Hispanic Folsom.   Mark Goree: new as associate pastor of Immanuel Hammond.   Scooter Kellum: new as youth pastor of Woodland Springfield.   Bob (wife Tina) Lonadier: new as pastor at Horseshoe Mer Rouge.   Jeremy (wife Sumer) Palmer: new as missions director at Eastwood Haughton.   Tim (wife Darlene) Puckitt: new as music minister at Princeton.   John Vasser: new as intentional interim at Mansfield Road.   Bill Green: new as pastor at Emmanuel Vivian.   Cliff Estes: retired as pastor Sept. 11 from Waller.   Ryan Chandler: resigned as music minister from Waller.   Carolle Green: new as interim education minister at First Shreveport.   Richard Shreve: new as interim pastor at Sardis Farmerville.   Thomas Bethke: resigned as youth minister … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message   ALEXANDRIA – The Louisiana Baptist Singing Women, a ministry of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, will kick off their concert tour on Oct. 20 at First Baptist Church in Winnfield.   The group,has two concerts in 2011, and five in 2012.   Here is a complete list of concerts: Oct. 20, 2011 – FBC, Winnfield; Nov. 17, 2011 – FBC, Arcadia; Jan. 19, 2012 – FBC, Baton Rouge; Feb. 16, 2012 – FBC, New Orleans; March 22, 2012 – FBC, Leesville; April 12, 2012 – Pinecrest Developmental Center, Pineville – 1:30, and April 12, 2012 – Alpine First Baptist Church, Pineville.   All concerts begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted. … [Read more...]

By Philip Timothy, Message Staff Writer   WOODWORTH – Louisiana Baptists, it’s time to Awaken.[img_assist|nid=7664|title=Awaken Louisiana|desc=|link=none|align=right|width=458|height=640]   Awaken Louisiana is a year-long initiative of the Louisiana Baptist Convention calling on Louisiana’s 500,000 Southern Baptists worshipping in 1,600 churches to pray for a spiritual awakening across the state.   In his report, Executive Director David Hankins gave the LBC Executive Board at its annual fall meeting on Sept. 27 at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center complete details about the initiative, which kicks off at this year’s LBC Annual Meeting in Covington.   The initiative also coincides with the 200th anniversary of Southern Baptists in Louisiana.   “Awaken Louisiana calls Southern Baptists to pray for a spiritual awakening across the state,” LBC Executive Director David Hankins told the board in his report.   “We will not only be asking God for a spiritual awakening, but we will also be asking His blessing on our celebration of our rich past.”   Hankins said the initiative had five components:   n 21 days of prayer and fasting, set for Jan. 2 … [Read more...]

By Karen L. Willoughby, Managing Editor   COLUMBIA, Ill. (BP) – Discipleship is the priority at First Baptist Church in Columbia, Ill., and discipleship fuels the church’s passion for cooperative world missions and giving through the Southern Baptist Convention’s Cooperative Program.[img_assist|nid=7666|title=Mission Outreach|desc=The youth praise team of First Baptist Church in Columbia, Ill., leads worship during the church’s 2011 family mission trip to Chicago.|link=none|align=right|width=640|height=427]   “Our passion is to make disciples for Jesus Christ,” said Jonathan Peters, the church’s pastor since 1998. “Our need is to fulfill the Great Commission. God commands us to and, as a denomination, the Cooperative Program is the means by which we do this collectively.   New members are taught they are expected to be true disciples, not just church attenders.   “I tell them, ‘You’re not coming here to sit and soak,’” Peters said. “We are commanded by God to reach the nations for His glory.”   “Reaching the nations” starts locally for the church, which serves in a bedroom community 15 minutes from downtown St. Louis. Columbia is an affluent community with strong German … [Read more...]

By Marilyn Stewart, Regional reporter   NEW ORLEANS – It’s only Wednesday night, but the strip clubs on New Orleans’ Bourbon Street are busy. The crowded street is awash in neon light as tourists, some with children, snap souvenir pictures.   But inside, tears stream down a dancer’s face when the women of Inward step into her dressing room. God has answered her prayer.   “I asked Jesus to send someone,” she said. Tricia [name changed for privacy] needed help in breaking free.[img_assist|nid=7668|title=An Unlikely Place|desc=Inward, a ministry showing God’s love in a place where the need is great, began when women of New Orleans churches felt burdened for the women of Bourbon Street. Without a template and with few ministries for a model, they started by simply taking gifts of chocolate to the dancers. (Photo by Boyd Guy)|link=none|align=right|width=425|height=640]   Inward, a ministry that is showing God’s love in a place where the need is great, began when women of New Orleans churches felt burdened for the women of Bourbon Street. Without a template and with few ministries for a model, they started by simply taking gifts of chocolate to the dancers.   Two years in, Inward is … [Read more...]

By Quinn Lavespere, Message Staff Writer   HAUGHTON – There are those with needs, and then there are those who have different types of needs.[img_assist|nid=7671|title=Vision Gathering|desc=Speaking in public can be one more step toward becoming a fruitful member of society.|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=480]   Led by Pastor Stephen Smith, Vision Gathering Ministry seeks to lead people with special needs in a relationship with Jesus Christ while helping them to overcome the challenges they face daily.   “You can’t find a sweeter group of people anywhere,” Smith said. “We feel that people like these deserve attention and godly help.”   Smith is retiring from the Department of Transportation and Development after 33 years there, to fully dedicate himself to the special needs ministry, he said. The pastor recalled how Vision Gathering came into being.   “Almost five years ago, Evergreen Presbyterian Church asked Eastwood Baptist Church, which is our home church, about doing a shepherd church,” Smith said. “Pastor Scott Teutsch and I talked about the idea, and instead of doing just a Sunday School like Evergreen wanted, we decided to go ahead and do everything, because we … [Read more...]

By Kelly Boggs, Baptist Message editor   A California law recently went into effect that bans minors, defined as anyone under the age of 18, from using a tanning bed.   The prohibition is absolute and there is no provision for parental permission.   Lawmakers say the tan ban is necessary in order to protect the health and well-being of young people. California is the only state thus far to have a complete ban on tanning for minors. Other states allow the practice with a parent’s permission.   The Golden State has other laws intended to safeguard the health of young people.   If you are under 18 in California, you are forbidden from getting a tattoo. Like the tan ban, the law is absolute. A minor cannot get inked even with a parent’s permission.   A person under 18 can get his or her ear or ears pierced. However, piercing any other body part will require a parent’s approval. A minor is also allowed to take an aspirin at school but only with a parent’s permission.   For the record, I’ve no problem with laws that require parental permission for practices or procedures that could have negative health repercussions or life-long consequences for a … [Read more...]

By James B. Law, Pastor First Baptist Church Gonzales   “Jerry Springer” has become the buzzword in our culture for trashy, raunchy television. It is a program in which the show’s producers seek out the most deviant behavior, and then bring these shameful, hurtful situations to television screen as entertainment.   During a scheduled oil change for my car I was in the waiting room and caught a brief excerpt of the show. The topic of the program was twisted, profane and without shame. The theme seemed to capitalize on the ignorance of the guests and the foolishness of the audience.   The Jerry Springer Show represents a genre of television that seems to thrive in our culture. At one time, Springer was even paid $6 million a year to host the hour-long anarchy. Such programming seems to flesh out the devastating progression of sin described in Romans 1.   However, let me be clear, my purpose in bringing this up is not to throw rocks at Springer and his ilk.  I’m not railing against the culture.  As author and preacher John Piper has wisely stated, “Salt doesn’t mock rotting meat.” Believers are called to be light and salt in a world careening out of control in a downward spiral to … [Read more...]