A proposal to bring gambling to the Northshore in southeast Louisiana is meeting stiff opposition from a coalition of religious leaders throughout St. Tammany Parish. COVINGTON – A proposal to bring gambling to the Northshore in southeast Louisiana is meeting stiff opposition from a coalition of religious leaders throughout St. Tammany Parish. The issue has united a broad section of religious leaders – from non-denominational to evangelical. In 1996, the people of St. Tammany voted overwhelmingly – 75 to 25 – to ban gambling. However, late in December Parish President Kevin Davis proposed the establishment of an entertainment district, which would be anchored by a floating casino, along Lake Pontchartrain’s eastern shore as a way to increase revenue in the parish and to offset property taxes. According to Davis’ office, the district would include a hotel, restaurants and shops, and a venue where entertainers could perform. He estimates the complex would generate $8 to $11 million annually in local tax revenue and would be a certain economic boon for the parish. Waylon Bailey, pastor of First Baptist Church Covington disagrees. “Gambling promises but never delivers,” Bailey said. “This parish has already made its … [Read more...]

A church’s investment in its youth is paying huge dividends. PINEVILLE – A church’s investment in its youth is paying huge dividends. Since Trinity Baptist Church Pineville opened its new $120,000 youth room, it has seen its number of youth increase five-fold. “It has been a blessing to watch this ministry grow,” said Jeremy Nunnally, student minister at Trinity. “When I first came a year ago, we averaged eight kids in our youth group, now we average almost 50. “A year ago, I could put all of our youth in one room for Sunday School, and now we are pushing 30 to 35 every Sunday,” Nunnally said. “This new youth room has caused a lot of excitement for them and has given them a sense of pride. I’ve seen a total change in their attitude. “They have become more involved in our worship, and they are doing a lot more stuff – running the PowerPoint and video equipment; working in the graveyard; working around the church, and helping with other projects. They are beginning to step up and take a more active role. They are our church’s future.” Nunnally, a former truck driver with no formal seminary training, has a passion for his youth that quickly becomes evident when he speaks about them. “One thing I brought into this … [Read more...]

A partnership has been inked between Louisiana Baptist Mission Builders and the Canadian Baptist Mission Builders. ALEXANDRIA – A partnership has been inked between Louisiana Baptist Mission Builders and the Canadian Baptist Mission Builders. It’s an Acts 1:8 “You will be my witnesses” endeavor for both groups of volunteer construction missionaries, said Jeff Woodrich, director of the Louisiana Baptist Mission Builders. His Canadian counterpart is Ken Ponath. “I am going to be sending volunteers up there and Ken has the same vision,” Woodrich said. “It’s not about us; it’s what we’re going to do to fulfill with Christ what God has called us to do.” Jeff and Erin Woodrich met Ken and Darla Ponath three years ago at a construction missions roundtable event, Woodrich said. “God bonded us together,” Woodrich said. “The two of us teach each other; we share tips that we’ve learned.” They also share needs. Canadian volunteer construction missionaries worked recently on the Cameron Baptist Church project, a major renovation necessary because of Hurricane Rita in 2005 and Hurricane Ike in 2008. Louisiana teams are invited to Kamloops, British Columbia, in May, and to Calgary, Alberta, between June and … [Read more...]

SHREVEPORT/BOSSIER CITY – A church may call a man to be its pastor, but God calls a man to preach. Jeff Harper is a testimony to that statement. He began his career in ministry at Bellaire Baptist Church in Bossier City in 2000 as a student intern. Throughout his eight-year tenure, he served on the staff of his father, Randy Harper, in the sports outreach program, student ministry, young adult ministry and recently as the associate pastor. A month ago he accepted the pastorate at his father’s old church to serve in the same pulpit his father served in more than 15 years ago. “I always envisioned I would stay under my dad’s ministry until he retired, and then follow him into the pulpit if that was God’s plan for me,” Harper said. “In 2008, Northwoods Baptist, dad’s old church, approached me and asked if I would become their pastor. “I prayed about it but I just wasn’t comfortable at the time with the idea of leaving Bellaire, especially since our church was in the middle of a $6 million-building campaign,” Harper said. A year later, Northwoods approached Jeff again. “I still was hesitant about leaving,” Harper said. “So, I asked God to tell me what I needed to do. After much prayer, He changed my heart, and I … [Read more...]

Externally, not much seems to have changed in this southwestern Louisiana town since Hurricane Ike barreled its way through the region last fall. JOHNSON BAYOU – Externally, not much seems to have changed in this southwestern Louisiana town since Hurricane Ike barreled its way through the region last fall. Most of the remnants of mobile homes seem to shiver in the early spring wind, with insulation material flapping from exposed studs like laundry on a clothesline. The roof of the new (since Hurricane Rita in 2005) building of Johnson Bayou Baptist Church has been removed from where it lay last August, flattened atop the rubble of what once were church walls, but that rubble remains – clay-colored concrete block, red brick facing, hand-sized shards of glass, bigger sections of what might have been bathroom mirrors, lengths of wood with nails pointed skyward, a broken toilet and a shattered baby grand piano among the residue. “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us,” are the words on a banner that hangs from the concrete baptistry, the only part of the structure still intact. Hung by townspeople, it is the motto of the Johnson Bayou High School Class of 2006, who … [Read more...]

Linda Selymes started gambling two years before her retirement as an executive at Boeing Aircraft. But after retirement, she began gambling more often. Linda Selymes started gambling two years before her retirement as an executive at Boeing Aircraft. But after retirement, she began gambling more often. She went through $500,000 in retirement savings, fell behind on house payments, and hated the person she had become. At the height of her addiction, she would draw out $500 from her credit union account and head for the casino. After losing that money, she would use her debit card to get another $500, then add $300 more to credit cards. On one occasion, she had in her purse $14,000 that she had won, but the money was all gone in just three days. At first Linda’s husband did not know what she was doing since she managed the household finances. But after an all-nighter at a casino, her husband threatened to leave her-though never did. Finally, her husband, her son, and her doctor convinced her to get help. It took several months to eventually gain control and completely stop gambling. She now says she will never stop going to her support group meetings because she knows that if she gambles again, she will be on … [Read more...]