A car can’t drive itself, at least not on our streets – yet. A car can’t drive itself, at least not on our streets – yet. Volkswagen has been successful in creating a version of the Golf in 2006, which actually drove itself at speeds of 150 mph! By using radar and laser sensors, the car’s “eyes” maneuvered the vehicle at high speeds around various obstacles on a closed track. The day is coming when cars will have autopilot. Could it be some churches are already stuck on autopilot? Are some pastors and staff expecting the church to run itself? While I hope this is not the normal experience, it is obvious some churches are struggling from a lack of leadership. Several reasons may contribute to churches finding themselves in this dilemma. One reason could be church members are not allowing the pastor to lead. Ultimately, God has given the pastor the role of shepherd. The members are to follow their shepherd because he submits to the leadership of the Good Shepherd. When the roles of sheep and shepherd are reversed, problems arise. Another reason could be a lack of knowledge.  With the many things a pastor learns in seminary, his church’s particular need might be an area of weakness in his education or … [Read more...]

Two months before Hurricane Katrina, Celebration Church’s Hope Center opened its doors to minister specifically to substance abuse clients. METAIRIE – Two months before Hurricane Katrina, Celebration Church’s Hope Center opened its doors to minister specifically to substance abuse clients. The emotional damage that ravaged lives in the wake of Katrina’s destruction opened Celebration Hope Center – CHC – to widen its ministry. And as a result of a continually-increasing client load, CHC is moving from three cramped sites across Greater New Orleans into an 8,000-square-foot unit in the shopping center that also is home to Celebration’s Airline Highway Campus. “During 2008, the CHC provided 500 clients with mental health services, [plus] another 100 clients [recovered] from the addictions in their lives,” said Florence “Freddie” Landry, executive director of Healing Hearts for Community Development, the 501c3 organization under which the Celebration Hope Center operates as the organization’s counseling center. That was double the number of clients who received services in 2007. Just since January, the addictions’ program has doubled in clients. CHC itself is the outgrowth of Celebration Church’s successful Celebrate … [Read more...]

First Baptist Church in Denham Springs has a fresh approach on children’s ministry. DENHAM SPRINGS – First Baptist Church in Denham Springs has a fresh approach on children’s ministry. Under the guidance of Sam Labello, minister of education at First Denham Springs, Julie O’Neal and Laura Dunlap are children’s ministers seeking to find new and creative ways to teach children the Bible. On April 26, the children will perform a musical called “Parablelooza” that will go through the parables of Jesus in the New Testament. Song and drama will be involved, and the children will recite the books of the Bible. Kathy and John Frady, familiar faces from several children’s events like M-JAM and GA Camp, will also present two skits for the church during “Parablelooza” Sunday. An emphasis on this summer’s vacation Bible school also will be part of “Parablelooza.” Usually having an average of 100 children at VBS, this summer is expected to be a big hit with Lifeway’s “Boomerang Express,” O’Neal said. For the last three years, VBS has been at night and has allowed for more volunteers and a more successful VBS, she explained. O’Neal has worked with the children at First Denham Springs for three years, and with Labello as … [Read more...]

More than 200 people prayerwalked on Saturday, March 21, the mile and a half from the Riverfront in downtown Natchitoches to the coliseum at Northwestern State University. NATCHITOCHES – More than 200 people prayerwalked on Saturday, March 21, the mile and a half from the Riverfront in downtown Natchitoches to the coliseum at Northwestern State University. They then completely circled the round structure and with hands joined in one accord, prayed for God to do His work there the next day, at District Eight’s Festival of Hope for West-Central Louisiana, an evangelistic event a year in the planning. “We were walking along [as a city-permitted parade,] and traffic had to stop,” said Ron Thompson, pastor of Trinity Baptist in Natchitoches, and chairman of the Festival of Hope. After describing two young men on bicycles clad in black pants, white shirt and ties – typical garb of Mormon “missionaries” – Thompson added, “They had to stop what they were doing, for what God was doing. It was such an assurance that God was in this.” Perhaps 1,500 people participated in the Sunday evening Festival of Hope. Following a 90-minute gospel music show of several local vocalists and vocal groups, Fred Lowery, pastor of First Baptist … [Read more...]

For several New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary students, this year was not your typical Mardi Gras. NEW ORLEANS – For several New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary students, this year was not your typical Mardi Gras. Eleven Unlimited Partnerships students from NOBTS spent their Mardi Gras vacation networking with Southern Baptist leaders. They were joined by three students from Southern California Seminary in El Cajon, Calif., affiliated with Shadow Mountain Community Church and Dr. David Jeremiah. On Feb. 22-24, these students visited LifeWay Christian Resources, the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee, and the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, all in Nashville, Tenn., and the North American Mission Board in Alpharetta, a suburb of Atlanta, Ga. This trip was designed to connect young leaders with experienced leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention. “We believe that our churches and denomination as a whole will grow stronger as we dialogue and learn from each other,” said Bill Taylor, president of Unlimited Partnerships. “I want our students to have opportunities to meet people they may not otherwise meet and thus be challenged to think broader about their ministries.” Students … [Read more...]

A father’s strict discipline and a mother’s gentle love gave Brad Lartigue the foundation for the life he now leads as a resort missionary in Montana. LAKE CHARLES – A father’s strict discipline and a mother’s gentle love gave Brad Lartigue the foundation for the life he now leads as a resort missionary in Montana. Lartigue was featured during promotion of the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering in 2008 for the work he does in Big Sky, Mont., at ski resorts, as an EMT with and chaplain to the local fire department, and with SBC Innovator summer missionaries in Yellowstone National Park. Little was said, however, about his Louisiana roots. He was the oldest of five born to A.B. and Anna Marie Lartigue Sr., of French, Black, Cherokee and Italian ancestry. His father was an educator and a pastor – first in Eunice and now at Unity Baptist Church in Lake Charles. Brad’s mom’s calling was to her family and to the churches her husband pastored. These days Lartigue conducts worship services, weddings, baby dedications and memorial services on the ski slopes of both Big Sky Ski and Summer Resort and Moonlight Ski Basin, all in Big Sky, Mont. He ministers on a snowboard – his nickname is “Shred” – at a 14-foot Logwood cross. … [Read more...]

Recently, my friend lost a loved one to death. I don’t know what to say or do to help her during this difficult time. Can you help me? Question: Recently, my friend lost a loved one to death. I don’t know what to say or do to help her during this difficult time. Can you help me? Michele Louviere answers: None of us are very comfortable with helping our grieving friends. As a society, we aren’t very good at mourning or helping others mourn. During biblical days, people would sit in piles of ashes, tear their clothing and just weep. Most of us are very uncomfortable with others’ outpourings of grief, because we feel inadequate and helpless. Although Job’s friends certainly were wrong in what words they spoke to Job during his great loss, they give a great illustration of helping friends grieve. Before they spoke, they just sat in the ashes for days with Job while he grieved. The greatest gift that we can give a grieving friend is our loving presence. Besides our presence though, we can be careful with what we say to a grieving friend. Often our words, like Job’s friends, can really damage a person when he or she is most vulnerable. When talking to a grieving person, offer simple, understanding statements like “This must be … [Read more...]

I love innovation. Finding the best way to share Christ with a hurting culture is a passion of mine. Because of this, change has become a way of life at Brookwood Baptist Church, where I pastor. I love innovation.  Finding the best way to share Christ with a hurting culture is a passion of mine. Because of this, change has become a way of life at Brookwood Baptist Church, where I pastor.  We will try new methods and jettison old, comfortable ones when they prove ineffective.  This has led us to multiple weekend services, including Saturday night, extremely contemporary services (as well as a blended service), and beginning many off-campus Bible study groups.  In other words, we will try new methods to get the good news of Jesus into all the world. Methods change; the message never will!  That’s why, when it comes to the resurrection of Jesus, I try to be very clear about what message we proclaim.  At Brookwood, we’ve decided not to have Easter egg hunts before, during or after church.  Yes, we can draw a crowd with it.  Yes, many respectable, godly churches have these every year. But we’ve decided that as our culture becomes more and more secular, as increasing numbers of people admit they’ve never been to a … [Read more...]

My advice is let children be children. I seriously doubt that parents will damage their children if they give them a chocolate bunny at Easter, new clothes, and a stuffed bunny rabbit. My advice is let children be children. I seriously doubt that parents will damage their children if they give them a chocolate bunny at Easter, new clothes, and a stuffed bunny rabbit. Generally, children up to the age of six or seven are not asking questions like “Is the Easter Bunny real?” They are more interested in the experience of being full of chocolate than existential questions of being or differentiating between Jesus and the Easter Bunny. To be perfectly transparent, my perspective is shaped primarily by the way I was raised. I was introduced to the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus, but it never interfered with my coming to faith in Jesus. I never doubted the reality of the risen Christ. I simply enjoyed the chocolate and the presents and moved on from there. Now, you might have a precocious child, who will ask profound questions (and who doesn’t think they have a “genius” in their midst). But the reality is that they may at one moment pose a profound theological question and at the next minute ask for a peanut butter and jelly … [Read more...]

It’s been my joy as a senior pastor to teach the children and their parents on Wednesday nights for the past year at CrossPoint. It’s been my joy as a senior pastor to teach the children and their parents on Wednesday nights for the past year at CrossPoint. In our times together we focus on doctrine, memorizing Scripture, prayer for missionaries, worship, and fun. Our children have not only memorized the books of the Bible but their genres. They could tell you what theopneustos means and that the Holy Spirit is Who confirms the Truth of Scripture to our hearts. Ask them what it means for God to be both transcendent and immanent and they will give you hand motions to show you the difference. If there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that children can handle Truth and its deepest doctrines. During Christmas we did not just teach about the manger, we taught our children about Jesus’ Incarnation. We addressed His pre-existence and His taking on flesh. If you are waiting to teach deep Truth until students enter the youth group then you have missed the foundational years and your students will be behind. In thinking on teaching children about Easter, I have a few recommendations. First, I would pick a passage such as 1 Cor. … [Read more...]