STATEWIDE – In all, 46 churches across Louisiana have begun practice for the 2010/11 season of Upward Basketball. Upward is a parachurch organization for boys and girls in the first through sixth grades. It is based in North Carolina and “reaches kids for Christ through sports,” according to the website www.upward.org. The sports they minister through include football, basketball, soccer and cheerleading. Now is the season for basketball. “I thought Upward was a God-send,” said Robert Daniel, director of missions for three central Louisiana Baptist associations and former pastor of Twin Bridges Baptist Church in Alexandria. He led the church to start Upward in 2000. “Upward gave us a God-sized task,” Daniel continued. “If you run the numbers, there were about 250 children, and you start thinking about moms and dads and siblings and grandparents connected with each of those children, that’s a considerable challenge. On any given Saturday [during league games] we’d have 600 to 1,000 people come to our facility. That would be far more than we could possibly reach in Sunday morning services.” Brent Dix has been pastor of the Twin Bridges congregation for the last four years. “For several years we were the smallest … [Read more...]

By DALE AND JENA FOREHAND, LifeWay Communications With the holiday season quickly approaching, the beauty of Christmas gets easily marred by the busyness it seems to demand. The battle is for your time, as you run from store to store, sale to sale, and party to party. Is it any wonder that by the time Christmas actually gets here, you are absolutely and completely frazzled? Certainly the reason for the season has lost its momentousness, if not its meaning. This pressure, when added to the dynamics of a marriage, can literally tug on the marriage rope of oneness and security. [img_assist|nid=6902|title=A Tug of War?|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=56]If your marriage is or has been overwhelmed by the pressures of Christmas, now is the time to slow down and take a moment to reflect. Your Marriage is a wonderful PRESENT from God With commercialized Christmas revolving around giving and receiving gifts, isn’t it time to consider your immediate family as one of the greatest gifts ever given? Once you begin to view your marriage as a precious gift from God, your Christmas will have an entirely new focus and meaning. With this perspective, you will give your marriage special attention, care, and … [Read more...]

BY MICHELE LOUVIERE, Director of Counseling Celebration Church, Metairie Question:  Our family recently experienced a tragedy. Since then, I have struggled with feeling close to God although I usually have an intimate relationship with him. How can I regain my closeness with Him? Michele Louviere responds: First of all, let me share how sad I am about your recent family tragedy. Secondly, it actually is very normal for people to struggle in their relationship with God after experiencing hurt, loss or extreme trauma. When we experience an unexpected event that overwhelms us physically and emotionally, it also can overwhelm us spiritually. Many people experience anger, isolation and numbness towards God. Some people even question God’s love and care when they are deeply wounded. A biblical example of this happens when Mary, Lazarus’ sister, met Jesus in the road after her brother’s death. She cried out, “Lord, if you would have been here, my brother would not have died” – John 11:32. In her grief and pain, she felt abandoned by Jesus. She did not question His ability to save lives; rather, she felt betrayed that He had allowed her to lose her precious brother. The unspoken thought could have been, “Jesus, I am not … [Read more...]

By DIANA CHANDLER, Regional Reporter NEW ORLEANS – On the walls of a house in the Lower Ninth Ward, children and young adults draw their realities: symbols decrying rape and drugs, words proclaiming hope and strength, a tear-soaked face. Enchante’ Franklin, founder of the What About Us Community Mentoring Program, WAUS, calls it the expression room, just one area of a non-residential safe house where she mentors at-risk youth. [img_assist|nid=6905|title=Students involved in What About Us Community at St. Thomas Missionary Baptist Church in New Orleans|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=75]Christ is new to many of the 7- to 24-year-olds WAUS serves and introducing them to God is key to the program but difficult, Franklin said. “I’m saying to them, learn the Word, learn His ways, but I have to be careful how I teach it,” said Franklin. ”It’s really hard to just throw God at these kids, because it’s not in the home. We have to slowly give it to them in a way that it connects to their cognitive level.” Franklin pairs mentors with youth to help them connect with God, lead law-abiding lives, avoid jail, develop self-esteem, learn community service and improve academically. Franklin doesn’t call WAUS a … [Read more...]

BY JOANNE BRECHTEL, Administrative Editor JONESBORO – Ebenezer Baptist: Christmas dinner 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19; Candlelight Lord’s Supper 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 26; Randy Lee, pastor. MINDEN – First Baptist: Holiday Luncheon for Single Senior Adults 11:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 13; Christmas Caroling 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19; Leland Crawford, pastor. WINNSBORO – First Baptist: Christmas Vespers and handbell choir 5:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 24; Craig Beeman, pastor. [img_assist|nid=6923|title=Birth of Christ|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=64]HAYNESVILLE – First Baptist: Christmas music 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12; Shelby Cowling, pastor. HOMER – First Baptist: Deacon Christmas supper 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 10; children’s Christmas program 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12; James Simeon, pastor. ALEXANDRIA – Baptist Temple: Christmas cantata 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19. BOSSIER CITY – First Baptist:  “Gloria…A Christmas Experience” multimedia Christmas Spectacular 3 p.m., 6:30 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 12; Point of Grace, special guests; tickets free; Love Loud Light Night Celebration traveling to six local communities for tree lightings and festivities; Wednesday, Dec. 15; Fred Lowery, pastor. HAUGHTON – Koran Baptist: Children’s … [Read more...]

By KAREN L. WILLOUGHBY, Managing Editor WEST MONROE – The members of Cedar Crest Baptist Church were serious about prayer even before Pastor Greg Clark arrived in December 1997. A small group met after Wednesday evening prayer meeting to pray first for direction in calling together a pastor search committee, and then to pray for that committee’s wisdom and discernment. Those involved with those prayers feel confident today the pastor search committee made the right choice. “Greg Clark is not just a great pastor; he’s a great citizen,” said John Russell. “He just reaches out all the time. It’s kind of like having a jewel in your community who is also your pastor.” Clark has led Cedar Crest to even greater involvement with prayer, and he has led in the effort to join with other churches in prayer for issues in West Monroe/Monroe. “On May 12, 2000, God clearly gave our pastor a word that Cedar Crest is to be a house of prayer,” according to the church’s website, www.ccbchurch.org. “Since then we have made it our top priority to keep prayer the central focus of all that we do.” The church added three prayer rooms when it built a new worship center. Two are assigned; a third is kept open for those who stop by for … [Read more...]

By CHARLES QUARLES, Chair of Christian Studies, Louisiana College The wise men who visited the infant Christ in Bethlehem seem to have captured the attention of Gospel readers. Church tradition has gone so far as to name their different countries of origin and even assign them names: Melchior, Caspar and Balthasar. By contrast, most seem content to leave the shepherds of Bethlehem in relative obscurity. This is a huge mistake. [img_assist|nid=6909|title=Charles Quarles, Chair of Christian Studies, Louisiana College|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=67|height=100]The shepherds of Bethlehem were no ordinary men and their presence in the manger scene sheds enormous light on the significance of Christmas. Although our familiarity with manger scenes tends to make the presence of the shepherds of Bethlehem at Jesus’ birth seem natural, from a first-century perspective their presence there is quite unexpected. With all the kings, priests, and celebrities in the world, why would God summon this humble group of men to adore the infant Messiah and to announce his birth to others? Although we may never unravel the mysteries of divine grace, two explanations may be given. First, these men were summoned to the birth scene of … [Read more...]

By BILL WARREN, Ph.D., NOBTS Professor of New Testament and Greek Question: Who were the wise men, where did they come from, and what is their importance in the Christmas story? Bill Warren responds: The wise men, only mentioned in Matthew (2:1-12), are actually called “Magi,” a term that normally refers to religious figures who are wise through the study of the stars. Since they come from “the east” (Mathew 2:1), they are probably coming from Parthia, a region not under Roman control that included some of the former Persian Empire, with modern day Iraq being a likely geographic setting for the Magi.  Much of our additional information on them is based on the statements of early Christian writers. For example, Clement of Alexandria (about A.D. 200) notes that they are from Persia (Strommata, Book 1, chapter 15), and Tertullian (early 3rd century) says that they were generally regarded to be kings (An Answer to the Jews, chapter 9). The reason their place of origin is important can be seen in the events at the beginning of Herod the Great’s reign as king over Israel. In 40 B.C., the Parthians had backed a different ruler for Israel versus Herod the Great, resulting in three years of war before Herod finally defeated them … [Read more...]

By JOANNE BRECHTEL, Administrative Editor DEVILLE – Philadelphia Baptist: “The Invitation” Christmas presentation 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 11; 10 a.m., 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12; Philip Robertson, pastor. VIDALIA – First Baptist: “A Casual Christmas” featuring David Taylor; Tuesday, Dec. 14; Bill McCullin, pastor. MINDEN – First Baptist: Holiday luncheon for single senior adults 11:30 a.m. Monday, Dec. 13; Christmas caroling 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19; Leland Crawford, pastor. MANY – First Baptist: Adult Christmas musical 11 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 19. WEST MONROE – Ridge Ave. Baptist: “He is Born, Child Divine” Christmas Choir cantata 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19; annual Christmas day service 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 25; David Brown, pastor. LAKE CHARLES – Sale Street Baptist:  “A Christmas Prayer” musical drama 10:45 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 12. WINNSBORO – First Baptist: “How Far is it to Bethlehem?” children’s musical 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 12; reception to follow; “The First Noel” adult choir musical 10:55 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 19; “Jon and Friends” musical program 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 19; Craig Beeman, pastor. ALEXANDRIA – Parkview Baptist: Adult Christmas music presentation 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 19; David Shaw, pastor. BAKER – First … [Read more...]

  By KELLY BOGGS, Editor, Louisiana Baptist Message   "Anyone who isn’t confused really doesn’t understand the situation," said Edward R. Murrow. Though the famed broadcast journalist died in 1965, his quip adequately describes life in our post-modern world.   Consider the following: ESPN reported recently that "a female-to-male transgender member of the George Washington University women’s basketball team wants to be identified as a man this season."   … [Read more...]