Their lives center on missions, operations and training; strict time schedules; days and, often, months spent away from family; and a pressure to perform that can mean life or death. They live in a world that can be cold, devoid of light and empty of love – figuratively and sometimes literally. NORFOLK, Va. (BP) – Their lives center on missions, operations and training; strict time schedules; days and, often, months spent away from family; and a pressure to perform that can mean life or death. They live in a world that can be cold, devoid of light and empty of love – figuratively and sometimes literally. This is the reality of America’s soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines; each has a unique role in global defense, yet they are connected in knowing what it means to serve, to execute orders, to be ready to give one’s life for freedom and democracy. There is something about this environment, the trials, the tribulations, both in the job itself and in the relationship strains caused by it, that brings military personnel closer to the Lord and their fellow comrades in Christ. And it is within this environment that a number of organizations, some nonprofit, some church-based, have come alongside military personnel to … [Read more...]

In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first Armistice Day in the United States, marking the end of World War I that occurred at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice. In 1954, Congress changed the name to Veterans Day in order to honor American veterans of all wars. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – In 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the first Armistice Day in the United States, marking the end of World War I that occurred at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice. In 1954, Congress changed the name to Veterans Day in order to honor American veterans of all wars. “It is fitting that the recurring anniversary of this date should be commemorated with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations,” Congress said in a resolution passed in 1926. Those who have served in the American military have a unique perspective on the meaning of the day, and three combat veterans shared their thoughts with Baptist Press. Scott O’Grady, a former U.S. Air Force captain, was helping enforce the NATO no-fly zone over Bosnia in 1995 … [Read more...]

The Luke of the New Testament was a reporter, seeing lives changed and churches started firsthand. Documenting events like those today requires more sophisticated equipment than in Luke’s time. The Luke of the New Testament was a reporter, seeing lives changed and churches started firsthand. Documenting events like those today requires more sophisticated equipment than in Luke’s time. For C.S. Stanley, that can run the gamut from memory cards for a camera at $50 each, to video editing software at about $3,000, allowing Stanley to present a written story, photos, video and sometimes audio, together.  For just $50 a day, the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering helps Stanley by providing his transportation from one story coverage to the next. RICHMOND, Va. (BP) – Living in a hut in West Africa might cost $12 a month. But the monthly rent for an apartment in Moscow can run about $2,000. Dollar examples of how the  Lottie Moon Christmas Offering for International Missions provides for Southern Baptist missionaries around the world are featured at a new website, Lottie Moon @ Work, at imb.org/lottieatwork. The website includes 19 stories geared toward adults, students and children and also grouped by world region -- from the … [Read more...]

What will the seminary of the 21st century look like? NEW ORLEANS (BP) – What will the seminary of the 21st century look like? Chuck Kelley, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, set forth a vision for the seminary’s future during the NOBTS trustees’ fall meeting Oct 15. Theological education began experiencing major changes after the technological advances of the 1990s, Kelley said, and dramatic changes will continue sweeping through theological and ministry training in the years ahead. Change and innovation, he said, are new constants. In a presentation titled “Back to Our Future,” Kelley outlined his vision for a 21st-century seminary. He compared the situation in ministry training to that of a gazelle and a lion in Africa. Each day an African gazelle must outrun the fastest lion to survive. The lion, on the other hand, faces death if he does not outrun the slowest gazelle. “In Africa, it doesn’t matter if you are a lion or a gazelle, you better wake up running,” Kelley said. “That’s the way it is now in the world of theological education. “Change has become an unavoidable force that will permanently affect the shape of higher education,” he said. NOBTS is well equipped to face these new … [Read more...]

The Montpelier Baptist congregation celebrated the church’s 100th anniversary during the morning service Sept. 28. About 250 people participated in the service to give praise to God for the ministry they have experienced at the church throughout the years. MONTPELIER – The Montpelier Baptist congregation celebrated the church’s 100th anniversary during the morning service Sept. 28. About 250 people participated in the service to give praise to God for the ministry they have experienced at the church throughout the years. Learning about the church’s history was life-changing, said Patsy Addison, a member. “I was impressed by the hardships and struggles the founders and builders of the first church faced in establishing Montpelier Baptist Church,” Addison said. “They did not give up, and our church still stands 100 years later as a testimony of what they accomplished through their faith in God.” She and fellow church members Inez Tate, Charlene Addison, and W.E. Dykes were the Church History Committee; they did the research for the day’s program. When the church’s ministry was just starting out, it was only attended by local people, Addison said. “Now, people come from miles around,” she said. “The church has … [Read more...]

Much has been done in New Orleans since 2005’s Hurricane Katrina; much remains to be done. NEW ORLEANS – Much has been done in New Orleans since 2005’s Hurricane Katrina; much remains to be done. Southern Baptists, in great measure because of the work and ministry done by thousands of trained Disaster Relief and other volunteers, have acquired a good reputation in the multi-parish region covered by BAGNO, the Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans. The question before pastors and associational leaders – especially in light of the impending retirements next spring of Director of Missions Joe McKeever and his second, Freddie Arnold – is how best to capitalize on the good that has been done for the glory of God and in the name of Jesus. In addition to McKeever’s and Arnold’s retirements, BAGNO and the North American Mission Board are in discussion about the future management and ownership of the four mission centers NAMB owns in New Orleans, as well as the future oversight of NOAH (New Orleans Area Hope) Rebuild efforts. Further compounding the need for a new strategy: the region has about 50 fewer Southern Baptist congregations, and about 160,000 fewer area residents. Consideration of these three concerns led … [Read more...]

One Christmas a mother decided not to remind her children to write thank-you notes for the gifts they received. One Christmas a mother decided not to remind her children to write thank-you notes for the gifts they received. As a result, they never sent their grandmother acknowledgements of the generous checks she had given. The next year, things were different, however.  “The children came over in person to thank me,” the grandmother told a friend. “How wonderful!” the friend exclaimed. “What do you think caused the change in behavior?” “Oh, that’s easy,” the grandmother replied. “This year I didn’t sign the checks.” Cultivating a thankful heart in children is a difficult task in our society today. Every parent knows how challenging it is just to have children say “thank you” without being prompted. Actually cultivating a spirit of gratitude can be even more difficult. What can parents do to help children develop a thankful heart? Consider these suggestions. Serve as a role model of gratitude in your own life. Express your thanks for God’s blessings during prayer times with the children. Make a point of saying “thank you” when the children have been helpful or done a good job with school work. Show your … [Read more...]

In previous articles, I examined two major items relating to a minister’s compensation. In previous articles, I examined two major items relating to a minister’s compensation.  The first item I discussed was the procedure for setting up the minister’s compensation so that he pays the lowest amount of taxes possible while at the same time maximizing the amount of money he is able to keep in his pocket. The second item was the concept of the Housing Allowance.  Remember, the premise of this entire exercise is to lower the minister’s tax liability. As a result, a minister is able to keep more of his own money. A church is able to do this without adding a single penny to the minister’s compensation. All a church has to do is allow the minister to identify money from his salary as housing allowance.  There are two other ways the church can help the minister in respect to his finances. They are through direct payments and accountable reimbursements. Direct payments are monies that the church pays directly to a company for a service. However, the recipient of the service will be the minister.  Almost all direct payments will deal with insurances of one variety or another, and retirement funds.  As a general concept, the … [Read more...]

“Depending on the Lord. That’s been our biggest lesson over the last two years,” says Sam Allen of No Other Name. DEVILLE – “Depending on the Lord. That’s been our biggest lesson over the last two years,” says Sam Allen of No Other Name. No Other Name is to lead in worship Nov. 16-19 at Philadelphia Baptist Church, where Philip Robertson is pastor. Over the last seven years, No Other Name has experienced highs and lows, the trio acknowledges. Most have been highs, but life has taught a few hard lessons too. Money: “There were a couple of times when my husband and I looked at our bank account and wondered how we were going to pay the bills that month,” says vocalist Laura Allen, Sam Allen’s sister. “We took a step back and cried out ‘Lord, you’re going to have to make our finances work.’ Sure enough, God took control and everything worked out. God just wanted us to depend on Him.” Parenting: “Having kids has been one of the biggest and most rewarding challenges of my life,” says Chad Smith. “It’s humbling to think that God put them in our hands to raise. I learned quickly that there is no ‘how-to’ manual on fatherhood. I know; I looked. But through hard times and good, ups and downs, God has taught me not to worry, … [Read more...]

How are Christians supposed to grow, unless someone steers them in the right direction? SHREVEPORT – How are Christians supposed to grow, unless someone steers them in the right direction? That’s the essence of “Association,” the second principle of evangelism, as described by Robert Coleman in The Master Plan of Evangelism – MPE. The first principle was “Selection.” For the first two articles into this series, see www.baptistmessage.com and search for “Evangelism.” “Jesus made a practice of being with them,” wrote Coleman on p. 33 of MPE. “Amazing as it may seem, all Jesus did to teach these men his way was to draw them close to himself.” The more time his disciples spent with Jesus, the more they grew like him. Coleman pointed out that in his second and third years of ministry, Jesus spent increasingly more time with his disciples. “Jesus had virtually no time to call his own,” Coleman wrote, and later in the same paragraph added, “the only way that a father can properly raise a family is to be with it.” Jesus didn’t have time to give to all the people who wanted it, but he did impress on his disciples “the need for immediate personal care of new converts.” That’s where Coleman moved from the pulpit to the pew. … [Read more...]