“Movies can and do have tremendous influence in shaping young lives in the realm of entertainment towards the ideals and objectives of normal adulthood,” said Walt Disney. “Movies can and do have tremendous influence in shaping young lives in the realm of entertainment towards the ideals and objectives of normal adulthood,” said Walt Disney.  If the family entertainment legend’s observation is accurate, a movie scheduled for release in September has the opportunity to portray a realistic and hopeful view of marriage to cinema goers – both young and old. “Fireproof,” set to open in theaters Sept. 26, addresses the issue of modern-day marriage head-on. The messages conveyed are clear: marriage is anything but easy, relationships require patience, and there is hope for struggling marriages. I was privileged to see “Fireproof” during the Evangelical Press Association annual convention in May. Following is a brief synopsis and my take on the film. Fire Capt. Caleb Holt, played by Kurt Cameron of “Growing Pains” fame, is a well-respected firefighter. At work he embraces the philosophy of “never leave your partner behind.” At home, Caleb displays a me-first attitude that negatively impacts his marriage. Though their … [Read more...]

It is a classic conflict between man and wife, the need for directions. Despite rising gasoline prices and the declining value of the dollar, Americans are icing down coolers, loading trunks and hitting the open road in pursuit of summertime adventure. Having been down this road before, some men will take advice from their wives and seek a pointed finger from a local resident. The less than wise will rely on their intuition and instinct to navigate unfamiliar territory. We know how the story ends. It is a classic conflict between man and wife, the need for directions. Despite rising gasoline prices and the declining value of the dollar, Americans are icing down coolers, loading trunks and hitting the open road in pursuit of summertime adventure. Having been down this road before, some men will take advice from their wives and seek a pointed finger from a local resident. The less than wise will rely on their intuition and instinct to navigate unfamiliar territory. We know how the story ends. A few years ago, a friend of mine was on his way back to Washington D.C. from Oklahoma. Somewhere in the middle of the night, he zigged when he should have zagged, and by the morning light, he discovered he was lost in Ohio. Posing as … [Read more...]

Nearly 3,000 people made professions of faith as a result of the annual Wayne Jenkins-led mid-July mission trip to Brazil. BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil – Nearly 3,000 people made professions of faith as a result of the annual Wayne Jenkins-led mid-July mission trip to Brazil. More than 140 people – mostly from Louisiana – participated. “It was probably right at the top of the best years we’ve had,” said Jenkins, evangelism and church growth director for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. This was the 24th year he has led these evangelistic-and-more mission trips to Brazil. “That’s results-wise as well as the overall harmony – harmony with the people in Brazil, and harmony within our groups – and even though we had to change some things around, we have discovered over the years that our Plan B was God’s Plan A.” The Americans deployed on one of 33 teams that branched out across Belo Horizonte, a city of about 4 million people north of Sao Paulo. It is the capital city in the state of Minas Gerais, and is the third-largest city in Brazil. Twenty “church teams” did revival meetings, door-to-door visitation to reach the unchurched, home visits to church members, and home worship gatherings.  Three teams led vacation Bible … [Read more...]

Thirty-five youngsters and sponsors arrived at the Baptist Mission Center in Pineville about 11 p.m. Saturday, July 19, a bit bedraggled after a 16-hour flight from Seoul, South Korea, to Houston, Texas, via San Francisco, Calif., and a six-hour bus ride from Houston. CENLA – Thirty-five youngsters and sponsors arrived at the Baptist Mission Center in Pineville about 11 p.m. Saturday, July 19, a bit bedraggled after a 16-hour flight from Seoul, South Korea, to Houston, Texas, via San Francisco, Calif., and a six-hour bus ride from Houston. They had come to participate in the fifth-annual Camp USA, a cross-cultural experience designed by Reach Missions and the Korean Baptist Development Board to be spiritually and culturally enriching. “I am having wonderful time,” said Youn Ok Lee, a university student majoring in economics and one of the chaperones. “We are doing everything fun.” At least 25 churches in central Louisiana participate in Camp USA, said Susan Duke, coordinator and children’s ministry coordinator at Tioga First Baptist, where Pastor David Cranford is coordinator of Reach Missions, current name of the partnership now in its 41st year between Louisiana and South Korea. “Some people host the children … [Read more...]

summer is filled with opportunities for camping experiences across Louisiana and for that matter, across the nation for children and youth in Louisiana’s Southern Baptist churches. STATEWIDE – Summer is filled with opportunities for camping experiences across Louisiana and for that matter, across the nation for children and youth in Louisiana’s Southern Baptist churches. Boys’ camps, girls’ camps, missions camps, youth camps, Centri-fuge, M-fuge and more are offered at Louisiana’s associational camps, and at camps hosted by churches. These provide opportunities to extract youngsters and youth from cell phones and other electronic devices – most camps have ‘rules’ against them – and to connect them with the God who created the universe and everything in it. Over the last several months the Louisiana Baptist Message has taken an in-depth look at each associational camp (except for Tall Timbers, which will be soon). This week we’re spotlighting two annual camps: One is to help elementary school girls develop a deeper appreciation for missions; One is to help Korean elementary and middle school students develop an understanding of God and His ways, while it also provides them with a cross-cultural experience. GA … [Read more...]

n Gloster Baptist in Gloster recently donated and installed fencing at Global Maritime Ministries new ministry center. Ron McLellan, pastor. n Woodlawn Baptist Baton Rouge, members are volunteering their services at a local hospice in the areas of clerical, home visits, sending cards, telephoning, bereavement programs, craft making and sitting with patients. Tommy G. Middleton, pastor. n Philadelphia Baptist  Deville collects old magazines and donates to the  local Huey P. Long hospital for its surgery waiting room; the Sew EZ Sisters are making lap quilts for veterans. A $5 donation or quilt fabrics are requested for the project. Philip Robertson, pastor. n First Baptist Jonesville is collecting school supplies for a local elementary school through Aug. 3. Crayons, pencils, glue sticks, 70-page notebooks, paper towels, Kleenex, markers and highlighters are needed. Marshall Douglas, pastor. n First Baptist Jena “Threads of Love” ministry is an outreach sewing ministry designed to meet the needs of tiny infants with clothing, blankets and handmade articles for premature and sick infants. Dominick C. DiCarlo Jr., pastor. n A group of World Changer volunteers from Ebenezer Baptist Jonesboro have just returned from St. … [Read more...]

The mountainous regions of central Alaska will never be the same again after a recent invasion by warriors from afar who descended wielding swords, shields, hammers, and paint brushes. First Baptist, Many SABINE BAPTIST ASSOCIATION HEALY, Ala. – The mountainous regions of central Alaska will never be the same again after a recent invasion by warriors from afar who descended wielding swords, shields, hammers, and paint brushes. World Changers, a student-oriented construction missions thrust of the North American Mission Board, recently met in Healy for one of its summer projects. They had a force of 200 adults and youth from such places as Melbourne, Fl.; Cumming, Ga; and Many, La. “God changed my life dramatically,” said Daniel Jordan, an eleventh-grade student from Many.  “It was amazing.  Unlike anything I’ve ever seen.” The community of Healy, population 1,000, lies in the shadows of Denali National Park. This first-ever onslaught of Southern Baptist student mission volunteers completed numerous community construction projects that spanned the spectrum. They totally renovated a community recreational park and locker rooms. Numerous private homes saw repairs to roofs, decks, siding, and storage … [Read more...]

COMINGS AND GOINGS n Jamie Little, new as music minister, Loch Arbor Baptist, Monroe. n Charles Headrick resigns College Place Baptist, Monroe as pastor. n Justin Winstead resigns Fair Park Baptist, West Monroe as youth minister. ANNIVERSARIES AND CELEBRATIONS n First Baptist, Bonita celebrates Homecoming Sunday, Aug. 3. Michael Sammons and Holly Ridge Boys, celebration leaders. n Ebenezer Baptist, Jonesboro celebrates Homecoming Sunday, Aug. 10. n East Leesville Baptist, Leesville celebrates grand opening of new student facility 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3, followed by a celebration dinner. Gil Arthur, pastor. n Long Leaf Baptist, Long Leaf celebrates 94th Homecoming 10 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 10; T. C. Smith, speaker; covered dish dinner. REVIVALS n BASTROP – Morehouse Baptist Association at First Baptist: Monday, Aug. 4, through Wednesday, Aug. 6.  n MANY – First Baptist: 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 3; Wayne Jenkins, evangelist; 6:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 4, through Wednesday, Aug. 6; Bill Robertson, evangelist; Buster Jordan, music; Steve Kelly, pastor. n MANGHAM – New Light Baptist: Sunday, Aug. 10, through Wednesday, Aug. 13. Oda Wayne “Tuck” Roberts, evangelist; Cecil Gregory, … [Read more...]

Although thousands of Baptist volunteers have come and gone from the Mississippi Gulf Coast since Hurricane Katrina’s onslaught in late August 2005, many more people and groups had good intentions to come and help but never made the trip for one reason or another. GULFPORT, Miss. (BP) – Although thousands of Baptist volunteers have come and gone from the Mississippi Gulf Coast since Hurricane Katrina’s onslaught in late August 2005, many more people and groups had good intentions to come and help but never made the trip for one reason or another. Those good intentions are about to be history, as Mississippi Baptists prepare to wind down their record-setting relief, recovery and rebuilding effort – but there’s still work to be done and time to get involved, noted David Baldwin, construction coordinator for Gulf Coast Baptist Association in Gulfport. “We have set a goal of wrapping up by the first of October,” Baldwin said. “Between now and then, we still need volunteers to finish 14 new homes that are in various stages of completion,” such as the installation of roofing, insulation panels and siding. “What we have left will be mostly inside work,” Baldwin said. “We want to shut down the formal operations on Oct. 1, but … [Read more...]

Louisiana has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling against that state’s law permitting the death penalty for child rape after it was revealed the justices overlooked a similar federal measure in their ruling. WASHINGTON (BP) –Louisiana has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider its ruling against that state’s law permitting the death penalty for child rape after it was revealed the justices overlooked a similar federal measure in their ruling. The request for a rehearing, filed with the high court July 21, followed a controversial June 25 opinion in which the high court ruled a child rapist may not be executed if he did not kill his victim. The ruling invalidated the laws of six states. Associate Justice Anthony Kennedy said in the decision, which was determined by a 5-4 vote, that the court based its opinion partly on what he described as a “national consensus against capital punishment for the crime of child rape.” While 36 states and the federal government have the death penalty, only six states -– and not the national government – authorize it for child rape, Kennedy wrote. The federal government, however, authorized capital punishment in military courts for child rape in a Department of … [Read more...]