By Erin Roach, Baptist Press VENICE (BP) – Residents in the small shrimping community of Venice are uncertain about their future amid reporters whohave crowded into the state’s southernmost town to cover the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. [img_assist|nid=6314|title=Orange booms snake across the front of Breton National Wildlife Refuge near Venice to prevent a slick from a massive oil spill|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=67]“It’s pretty much chaos. We have people from all over the country here – lots of reporters. I’ve talked to reporters from Spain and from Germany. The president’s motorcade came down the other day,” SteveMcNeal, pastor of First Baptist Mission in Venice, told Baptist Press May 4. At the same time, people who have relied on the shrimping industry and thesports fishing industry in Venice to earn an income fear the blows that could be dealt to their businesses. “There are folks not knowing where their next dollar is coming from,” said McNeal, who also works as a firefighter.“One good thing is that there are a lot ofcleanup jobs. It’s hard, dirty work, but money is coming in. So I guess some folks who haven’t even had jobs in the past are now getting jobs.” British Petroleum, … [Read more...]

By Philip Timothy, Message Staff Writer The word lagniappe, which is used primarily in south Louisiana and southeast Texas, refers to an “unexpected something extra.” And for the last four years at the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting, the Louisiana Lagniappe Breakfast has been an “unexpected something extra” for those attending. The event, the brainchild of Amy Robertson, Director of College Communications at Louisiana College, offers current and former Louisiana residents the opportunity to re-connect, have a time of fellowship and prayer, and exchange information. Plus attendees get to enjoy breakfast before the day’s hectic schedule begins. “This will be the fourth year we have partnered together with the Louisiana Baptist entities to host this event,” said Robertson. “The idea was to offer a designated place and time at the SBC when current and former Louisiana residents can re-connect and have a time of fellowship.” This year’s breakfast will take place from 7-8 a.m. Tuesday, June 15, at the Orange County Convention Center in room W103A-B on level three in the West Building. The talented Voices of Louisiana College will be the special guests. “The breakfast is a wonderful idea,” Baptist … [Read more...]

By Les Puryear, Pastor, Lewisville (N.C.) Baptist Church Recently the senior pastor of a mega-church in Tennessee was roundly criticized by liberal bloggers because he preached on tithing. [img_assist|nid=6317|title=Les Puryear, Pastor Lewisville, N. C. Baptist Church|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=94]The criticism came not just because he preached on tithing, but because of the way he preached on tithing. This pastor said that church members should give at least 10 percent of their income undesignated to the church. He said that if his members did not do this they would be “robbing God” (Malachi 3:8). The controversy also came due to the illustrations this pastor used to make his point. He said that the people who did not tithe to the church were living in stolen homes and driving around in stolen cars - stolen from God. Recently in a conversation I had with a SBC seminary president, he told me that “gracious giving” begins with giving 10 percent to the church undesignated. He was quick to make the point that “gracious giving” should not be limited to 10 percent but should be greater than that. In a recent blog post, I solicited and received quotes from SBC leaders in support of storehouse tithing. … [Read more...]

To the Editor After reading the front page report titled “Committee seeks more visible presence at legislature” in the April 29 issue of the Baptist Message, I am almost forced to remind the committee to follow Our Lord’s injunction to “render unto Caesar (in this case the State) that which is Caesar’s and unto God the things that are Gods” There are laws on the books about non-support, and if we can identify people who are violating the law when they are gambling, why not bring them to court to enforce the non-support laws? It seems to me that the LBC should not be, in effect, lobbying the legislature as an organization. We believe, I was taught, that salvation is personal and that the purpose of the Church is to preach the Gospel. We need to redouble our efforts to do just that and confine our political efforts to the election of godly men and women. Joe Cole Fort Necessity, La. … [Read more...]

By Russell D. Moore, Vice President Southern Seminary Louisville, Kentucky As I type this, I am looking out at the Gulf of Mexico. You could have seen a similar sight out the window of the hospital where I was born, just a few miles down the road here on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. [img_assist|nid=6320|title=Russell D. Moore Vice President Southern Seminary Louisville, Kentucky|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=70|height=100]Now, though, those waters I grew up with, gently lapping against the sand, are threatening to bring with them millions of gallons of oil, spewing up from an exploded rig out in the Gulf. Five years after Hurricane Katrina leveled this hometown of mine, it is bracing for the worst environmental disaster in the history of the United States. Some conservatives, and some conservative evangelicals, act as though “environmentalism” is by definition “liberal” or even just downright silly. Witness a lot of the evangelical rhetoric across social media on Earth Day a while back: mostly Al Gore jokes and wisecracks about cutting down trees or eating endangered species as a means of celebration. Do some environmentalists reject the dignity of humanity? Yes. Do some replace the reverence for creation with … [Read more...]

By Rogers S. Oldham, Executive Editor SBC Life A drop of rain. A seed of corn. A thin red cent. None, by itself, seems significant. But collectively — and cooperatively — a drop joining with other drops of rain becomes a deluge. The grains of corn feed an army. The thin red cent funds a movement. [img_assist|nid=6322|title=Roger S. Oldham, Executive Editor SBC Life|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=70|height=100]The Cooperative Program is like that. The gifts I give out of obedience to my Lord join with other gifts to provide a cup of cold water in the name of Jesus, spiritual food for the hungry soul, and support for sending laborers to the ends of the earth. The church I served in Northwest Tennessee for twenty-one years was a “10 percent and more” Cooperative Program church. This means that at any given time at least ten cents out of every dollar contributed to the church budget was forwarded by the church to the Cooperative Program. The state where I lived became a “40 percent state.” This means of the ten cents of each dollar my church contributed to the Cooperative Program, six cents remained in Tennessee while four cents (40 percent) were forwarded to the SBC. Once the Southern Baptist Convention received … [Read more...]

MILESTONES – compiled by Joanne Brechtel COMINGS & GOINGS Patrick Willis resigns as pastor, St. Clair Baptist, Boyce. AVAILABLE B.N. Nichols available for interim pastor and supply; call 318.481.1863. ANNIVERSARIES KOLIN – Carmel Baptist: 100th Anniversary 10:30 a.m. Sunday, May 16; covered dish dinner; Fred Alexander, music; Don Gauthier, pastor; VIVIAN – Mt. Gilead Baptist: 150th Anniversary and Homecoming 10 a.m. Sunday, June 6; Wayne DuBose, speaker; Saundra Atchley and The Dierksen Singers; covered dish luncheon; old fashioned gospel singing with Carolyn and Jack Duke. HOMECOMINGS COUSHATTA – Mt. Zion Baptist: 11 a.m. Sunday, May 16; dinner on the grounds; David Hanna, speaker; Randy Tisdale, pastor. COTTON VALLEY – Unity Baptist: 9:45 a.m. Sunday, May 16; dinner on the grounds; Randy Lee, speaker; Lavelle Spiller, pastor. GROUNDBREAKINGS FT. JESUP - First Baptist: Groundbreaking ceremony for new sanctuary 12:30 a.m. Sunday, May 16; George Treutlein, pastor. REVIVALS GEORGETOWN - Georgetown Baptist: 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday, May 16; 7 p.m. Monday, May 17 through Wednesda, May 19; Jim Moss, evangelist; Wayne Clark, music; Carl Griffith, pastor. COUSHATTA – Martin Baptist: 10:45 … [Read more...]

By Joanne Brechtel Administrative Editor ARCADIA – The Rolling Hills Ministries grand opening event took place April 16.Bids have been opened for a new Ruston Thrift Store and construction could begin as early as June. TROUT – Ron Nation,pastor of Ebenezer Baptist, and Lucas LaCour, pastor of Mt. Sinai Baptist, recently completed a mission trip to Malawi, Africa, in May. ALEXANDRIA – Calvary Baptist’s “Missions Out of this World” event took place onMay 5. A Preschoolers Missions Recognition Service took place in April. SHREVEPORT – Northwest Louisiana Baptist Association reports that World Changers is expecting 200 young people in the area the last week of July and churches are being asked to serve in meeting their needs while the World Changers serve in the community. A Women’s Prison Ministry is in the process of starting again in the Northwest Louisiana Baptist Association. The association is sponsoring Churches busy with spring mission projects a special ministries camp at Camp Bethany Friday, May 14 and Saturday, May 15. Northwest Louisiana Baptist Association reports that 40 association churches prayerwalked during the week before Easter. MANY – First Baptist furnished 200 dozen cookies to nursing home … [Read more...]