San Patricio Baptist Church North Sabine Baptist Association CONVERSE – December is all about Jesus and His birthday at San Patricio, according to Zelda “Pinky” Hannigan, wife of Robert Hannigan, San Patricio’s pastor. The youth of their church made a banner to use in the Louisiana Christmas Parade in Many Dec. 13, she said. They were to ride in a pick-up truck and shine for Jesus. “Our youth (numbers) have been down, but we’re getting some back now,” Hannigan added. The church’s KIDZ Ministry has been working hard to do their part for Christmas. The kids will present a Christmas Pageant on Dec. 21 that includes stick puppets. She too has activities planned for the King’s birthday. “I’m going to have a birthday party for Jesus during the Sunday School hour,” Hannigan said. In the past they’ve even had a birthday cake for Jesus, but the woman who put on the party each year passed away, so things are still getting organized. Hannigan said she isn’t sure if there will be a cake this year or not. Regardless of how she and the children celebrate, it will be full of joy, the pastor’s wife said. And the whole church family will have their own Christmas party prior to Christmas Eve. About the church family, … [Read more...]

COMINGS AND GOINGS -Burn Page resigns as pastor of First Baptist Baton Rouge. DEATHS -Robert P. (Bob) Wallace, Louisiana pastor for 50 years, died Dec. 1. He was 77 and resided in Natchitoches. -H. M. Roach, Louisiana pastor, died Dec. 4. He was 91 and resided in Quitman. NEEDED -Ministry assistant at Concord Union Baptist Association; send resume to Concord Union Baptist Association, PO Box 606; Ruston LA 71273. -Pastors at Boulevard Baptist Lake Charles; First Baptist Cameron; First Baptist Hayes; New Hope Baptist DeQuincy; First Baptist Vinton; First Baptist Westlake and Woodlawn Baptist Iowa. -Pastors at Erwinville Baptist; First Baptist Baker; First Baptist Gramercy; First Baptist Plaquemine; False River Baptist Ventress; First Baptist Baton Rouge; First Hispanic Baton Rouge; First Baptist White Castle; Northside Baptist Plaquemine. ANNIVERSARIES AND CELEBRATIONS -BATON ROUGE – First Baptist: Farewell Reception for Burn Page 4-6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 21. -SCOTT – Scott Baptist celebrated 50 years of ministry Sunday, Dec. 7. CHURCH AND ASSOCIATION EVENTS -FRANKLINTON – First Baptist: Ping Pong Tournament for Lottie Moon offering 12 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20; entry fee $15; Luther Stanford, … [Read more...]

Some people who claim to be Christians haven’t grown spiritually in 30-50 years despite sitting through countless numbers of sermons, and one church leader believes he knows why. NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Some people who claim to be Christians haven’t grown spiritually in 30-50 years despite sitting through countless numbers of sermons, and one church leader believes he knows why. “They haven’t been challenged in a community to grow spiritually,” said Steve Gladen, small groups pastor for Saddleback Community Church, during a recent Inside LifeWay podcast. “They [interpret] attendance as being spiritual growth. People are finding out that it is all about interfacing with God’s Word, being in community. “The last couple of decades we’ve been inundated [with] an idea of what church can be and I think we are seeing people say ‘I could care less about big and flashy; I want confessional preaching, I want to see people where they’re at,” Gladen said. “I think this is true even for boomers who say we know far more than we’ve put into practice and it’s not so much about taking another [spiritual] nugget…it’s about helping people grow. That’s why we’ve got people who have been believers 30, 40, 50 years and they don’t ooze an ounce of … [Read more...]

Somewhere in a Texas storage shed sits a reminder of the reason Mark Moses left home and headed overseas. It’s a paper Moses, then 11 years old, wrote for a school assignment. The first line reads: “I want too be a misiunary wen I gro up.” RICHMOND, Va. (BP) – Somewhere in a Texas storage shed sits a reminder of the reason Mark Moses left home and headed overseas. It’s a paper Moses, then 11 years old, wrote for a school assignment. The first line reads: “I want too be a misiunary wen I gro up.” “I tell folks my spelling has changed but my calling has not,” jokes the Fort Worth, Texas, native, who has spent the past 22 years as a Southern Baptist missionary in the Philippines. It hasn’t been easy. Between the joys of new believers and churches starting, Moses also has endured bitter disappointments and devastating personal tragedy – including the loss of his wife, Jan, to cancer last year. It’s this deep sense of calling that helps drive and sustain Moses and the more than 5,500 other missionaries who serve with the International Mission Board. CALLED TO PERSEVERE Today these missionaries must hold fast to their calling as they experience the fallout of a burgeoning economic crisis. That’s because missionaries’ … [Read more...]

He’s “J.L.” on his business card. His wife calls him “Mac.” Some friends call him “James,” although he often forgets to stand up when he’s introduced as James. LOS ANGELES (BP) – He’s “J.L.” on his business card. His wife calls him “Mac.” Some friends call him “James,” although he often forgets to stand up when he’s introduced as James. But he’s best known simply as “The Hitchhiker,” especially among Southern Baptists in California. James L. McCollough’s motto is “Sharing the Gospel around the world, one highway at a time.”  A 59-year-old former Marine, McCollough has been hitchhiking all his life—not because he can’t drive or doesn’t own a car. He can and does. Hitchhiking is his God-led ministry, his chosen method to share Christ literally on the highways and byways of life. McCollough is a North American Mission Board (NAMB) Mission Service Corps missionary and works for the Los Angeles Southern Baptist Association. His ministry is aptly named “BlackTop Ministries.” And from California to Mexico to Indiana to Florida, this man has pounded some serious blacktop. “I go out about every day,” says The Hitchhiker, who on this day was in Nevada, dressed in his usual “USMC” reflective orange vest, “Jesus Saves” … [Read more...]

And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)  3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.  4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)  5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.  6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.  7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore … [Read more...]

As soon as I finished storing the leftover Thanksgiving turkey in Tupperware, I began putting up the tree and cluttering every surface of our house with nativity scenes, reindeer, poinsettias, and twinkly lights. As soon as I finished storing the leftover Thanksgiving turkey in Tupperware, I began putting up the tree and cluttering every surface of our house with nativity scenes, reindeer, poinsettias, and twinkly lights. Every year our family – like many of you – goes to great lengths to celebrate the birth of Jesus. But do we ever slow down to seriously contemplate why He came? About this time last year, God drew my attention to several statements Jesus made that included the phrase “I came” or “I have come.” Of course, I had read them many times before, but had never considered them in the context of Christmas. As I searched the Gospels I found more than a dozen of these “I came…” statements. As I studied them, Christmas took on a deeper and richer meaning for me.  This year, I would like to share a few of them with you. If you have time, look up the Scripture references and ask God to teach you the deeper meaning of Christmas. First, Jesus made it very clear that He came as a repre-sentative of the Father. He … [Read more...]

As the year 2008 draws to a close, all but 214 churches out of 1,589 have submitted their Annual Church Profiles. ALEXANDRIA – As the year 2008 draws to a close, all but 214 churches out of 1,589 have submitted their Annual Church Profiles. The non-reporting churches are scattered across the state, said Shana Johnson, Information Services Support Supervisor for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. “Nineteen of Louisiana’s 43 associations obtained 100 percent of their congregation’s reporting,” Johnson said. “We want to thank the clerks and directors of missions in those 19 associations for their efforts to obtain that 100 percent score.  The clerks and directors of missions in the remaining associations continue to work diligently to collect the outstanding ACP reports.” There are many reasons a church might not yet have sent in its ACP, Johnson said. Three quickly came to mind: The church might have been between pastors, the pastor might be an extra-busy bivocational wage-earner, or the need to complete the report might have gotten lost with everything else the church was doing this fall. The 214 churches that have not yet completed their ACP are urged to do so within the next month, Johnson said. “It doesn’t take … [Read more...]

Louisiana’s Mission Builders volunteers have been busy all year, and expect an even busier 2009, says Strategist Jeff Woodrich. Volunteers – skilled and unskilled – are always needed. Contact Woodrich at 225.975.0848 or jeff. woodrich@lbc.org for more information. STATEWIDE – Louisiana’s Mission Builders volunteers have been busy all year, and expect an even busier 2009, says Strategist Jeff Woodrich. Volunteers – skilled and unskilled – are always needed. Contact Woodrich at 225.975.0848 or jeff.   woodrich@lbc.org for more information. Christ’s Community Church, Denham Springs, LA – 10,000 sq. ft.  At this time, the congregation is experiencing rapid growth while meeting at a school. The property is now paid for. Bethel Baptist Worship Center, Morganza, LA – 4,000 sq. ft. Pastor Larry Bossier said they are still trying to raise 100 percent of their funds before starting this project, as they do not want their church to be in debt. Northshore Church, Slidell, LA (Katrina rebuild) – 44,000 sq. ft. Mortgage papers have been signed and the church was scheduled to close on their loan on Dec. 22. The kickoff date is mid-January.  FBC-Chalmette, Chalmette, LA (Katrina rebuild) – 28,000 sq. ft. Approximate completion date … [Read more...]

In 1991, Andrew did what dozens of pastors and scholars only hoped to do. My friend Andrew, with no theological training or philosophical expertise, unwittingly but unmistakably showed me the true meaning of Christmas. In 1991, Andrew did what dozens of pastors and scholars only hoped to do. My friend Andrew, with no theological training or philosophical expertise, unwittingly but unmistakably showed me the true meaning of Christmas. After Andrew and I returned to college from our winter break, he asked me what presents I had received for Christmas. I began to tell him about the new clothes, the best-selling books, the popular running shoes and all the other items on the list of precious gifts given me by family and friends. He seemed somewhat impressed, pleased at my apparent holiday windfall. “So, Andrew, what did you get for Christmas?” I asked. Expecting to hear his wonderful list of presents, my roommate instead replied silently, holding up but one small item, an alarm clock that probably cost less than $5 at the thrift shop. “That’s nice”, I answered, thinking that I was sure glad I hadn’t received such a present, seemingly so small and insignificant. Later, as roommates often do during late nights of academic … [Read more...]