Little did he realize it at the time, but God used Lonnie Wascom’s fondness for singing to start him on his path toward a life in the ministry. HAMMOND – Little did he realize it at the time, but God used Lonnie Wascom’s fondness for singing to start him on his path toward a life in the ministry. “I liked to sing – I wasn’t very good at it – but I liked to sing,” said Wascom. “When I was a teenager at Judson Baptist Church in Walker, I was in a little country and western band and sang in the choir. “We had a bi-vocational music minister, who every four to six weeks would have to miss a Sunday because of shift work. One Sunday, he asked me to lead the music. I did, and before I knew it I was doing it more and more.” He also began to receive a small stipend from the church. “Judson was always a generous church, but I was just a little surprised when they started to pay me,” said Wascom. “Being a teenager, I thought to myself how neat it was to get money for doing something I enjoyed.” Money, though, wasn’t the only thing the present director of missions for the St. Tammany, Chappapeela and LaTangi associations started receiving. “I wasn’t mature in the Lord at that time. Don’t get me wrong; I was brought up in a … [Read more...]

Over the past 15 years, hundreds of friends, neighbors, church members and even prisoners have shared Sunday lunch at pastor Alvin Sullivan’s home. EIGHT MILE, Ala. (BP) – Over the past 15 years, hundreds of friends, neighbors, church members and even prisoners have shared Sunday lunch at pastor Alvin Sullivan’s home. For most people, serving 30 to 50 people a home-cooked meal every week after preaching a sermon would be a huge undertaking. But for Sullivan, who will turn 80 this year, “it’s just a way to say thanks.” Sullivan became pastor of Kushla-Bethany Baptist Church in Eight Mile, Ala., near Mobile four years ago; he had been Bethany Baptist’s pastor for 45 years before it merged with Kushla Baptist. “When I counted my blessings” and realized how long I had led the same congregation, “I thought, surely there is something I can do to give back,” Sullivan said. Sullivan and his wife Dolores have given back almost every Sunday by opening their home. Every week, Dolores calls to invite members of the congregation and friends, but “really anybody who wants to come is welcome,” Sullivan said. Even the neighbors drop by occasionally. There is no shortage of variety from the Sullivans’ kitchen. He does most … [Read more...]

Mississippi is typically considered to be part of the buckle of the Bible Belt, yet some communities in the state are barely churched and the prospect of spiritual growth seems unlikely at best. NICHOLSON, Miss. (BP) – Mississippi is typically considered to be part of the buckle of the Bible Belt, yet some communities in the state are barely churched and the prospect of spiritual growth seems unlikely at best. New Life Church in Nicholson has defied the odds and exceeded expectations. In a community of 5,000 people with only 5 percent claiming any church affiliation, New Life has reached people that conventional wisdom would consider unreachable. Chalk it up to a visionary association, a devoted pastor and resources provided by both the association and the church planting department of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board. Pastor Rusty Kuhn came to lead New Life in a roundabout way. “I was an Air Force kid,” Kuhn said, “and grew up with an alcoholic dad. I was an alcoholic and a drug addict. I was saved when I was 21. I was at the very bottom, and Jesus took all that away. God put a call on my life, and I spent the next two years supply preaching.” Kuhn has pastored in Mississippi since 1999. He was pastor of … [Read more...]

File folders, printer paper, writing pens, staplers – as necessary as these items are for running a church office, they can seem like superfluous expenses in light of funds needed for evangelistic and discipleship purposes. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – File folders, printer paper, writing pens, staplers – as necessary as these items are for running a church office, they can seem like superfluous expenses in light of funds needed for evangelistic and discipleship purposes. In an effort to help churches lower administrative costs, LifeWay Christian Stores recently signed an agreement with OfficeMax, whereby churches may qualify for 15-70 percent discounts through the OfficeMax Advantage Program. “We are always looking for new ways to provide churches with the resources they need while respecting the stewardship of their tithes and gifts from members,” LifeWay Christian Stores Vice President Mark Scott said. “This agreement allows churches to save money on everyday office supplies so more funds can be allocated for Kingdom purposes.” For churches affiliated with LifeWay, the Program benefits include: discounts on more than 12,000 office supplies; free overnight shipping on orders $50 or above (with exceptions for furniture, … [Read more...]

Poydras Baptist Church this summer, became the first Southern Baptist church in St. Bernard Parish to return to its worship center since Hurricane Katrina devastated the area two years ago. ST. BERNARD – Poydras Baptist Church this summer, became the first Southern Baptist church in St. Bernard Parish to return to its worship center since Hurricane Katrina devastated the area two years ago. That the church did so is testament to the effectiveness of the Cooperative Program, Pastor John Galey says. The Cooperative Program is Southern Baptist’s way of combining the efforts and resources of local churches to make a difference in the lives of people across the nation and around the world. Galey opened an Aug. 11 dedication of the renovated worship center by reading a list of 50 churches and associations that had a part in the rebuilding. “We experienced the reality of the Cooperative Program,” Galey told Baptist Press. “We give 10 percent – we consider it a tithe. We know the good the Cooperative Program does here in Louisiana and around the world. But there’s a difference between knowing something and experiencing it. “We’ve had hundreds of people working on our church. I’d say maybe even close to a thousand,” Galey … [Read more...]

JENA – Colorful imagery splayed across national media notwithstanding, nothing much happened during a much-heralded, media-driven “race rally” that drew thousands of people from across the nation. JENA – Colorful imagery splayed across national media notwithstanding, nothing much happened during a much-heralded, media-driven “race rally” that drew thousands of people from across the nation. Participants began arriving an hour before dawn. By noon, 20,000 or more people milled about the town of 3,000. The single “protest walk” planned by national event organizers broke into four, according to some news media, with the participants’ calm behavior being met with the townspeople’s placid demeanor. “I watched God deliver us today,” First Jena Pastor Dominick DiCarlo Jr. said Thursday evening. He had worked as a reserve police officer throughout the day. “He delivered us from the fear of what could have occurred. “This is really the very beginning of the national attention,” DiCarlo continued. “Congress is just now engaging this, so we’re on the front end. … Personally, I have learned that a town should not dismiss the power of public opinion. While we are a secluded, small town, we are now in plain view of America.” Jena … [Read more...]

Music is a gift from God to be used for His glory. STATEWIDE – Music is a gift from God to be used for His glory. The Scriptures recognize music and song as a means for praise, a means of expressing joy, thanksgiving, sorrow for sin, a means of prayer, and a means of teaching and spiritual communication. There are numerous references to music found throughout the Bible; it plays an important and vital role in the worship of God. Southern Baptist churches embrace a wide variety of music in worship, bringing together the latest praise and worship songs to tried and true traditional hymns. So, just how important is music in a worship service? “I think it can be as important as the message,” said Bruce Lee, music minister at First Baptist Church in Doyline. “It certainly plays as big a part as the message itself, because it helps to open people’s hearts to hear God’s Word. “I know personally, there have been times when the hair on my arms have stood up just from the music service,” said Lee. “The song and music helps to set the mood of the worship service.” David Cranford, pastor of First Baptist Tioga agrees, “Music sets the tone for the entire service. It leads people to the throne of Grace, and allows us to … [Read more...]

CrossOver is a major evangelistic blitz within a targeted area, designed to reach out with God’s love to the unchurched. ALEXANDRIA – CrossOver is a major evangelistic blitz within a targeted area, designed to reach out with God’s love to the unchurched. It involves pre-event prayer walking, fun-filled activities designed to draw families with children and teens, and pleasant conversation that at the nudging of the Holy Spirit can turn into evangelistic encounters, or that might just leave an unchurched person thinking about going to church. “CrossOver is a great way for our churches in the Alexandria/Pineville area to work together in reaching out to their communities, and it’s a great way for people from across the state to get involved in relational evangelism,” said Keith Manuel, LBC evangelism associate. “We learned through Katrina and Rita, and again last year in Carey Association, that it strengthens us all when we work together to build God’s kingdom.” Several events and activities have been planned by Chairman Kevin Roberts, associate pastor at Philadelphia Baptist Deville, and the rest of the CrossOver planning team working in conjunction with the Southern Baptist churches in Alexandria/Pineville and outlying … [Read more...]

How are we to think about the religious commitments of political candidates? Are their actual beliefs off-limits in terms of public policy? How are we to think about the religious commitments of political candidates? Are their actual beliefs off-limits in terms of public policy? That is the conventional wisdom among many in the media and the political class. As these opinion-shapers see it, religion is a privatized affair with no obvious policy impact. In other words, we should not expect that a politician’s religious commitments will actually mean anything when it comes to their policies and their conduct in office. The presidential candidacy of John F. Kennedy raised all of these issues in 1960 and, according to the prevailing political wisdom, we are to see his approach in the campaign as the appropriate model. Kennedy knew that his Catholicism was an issue and the ‘Catholic question’ was a constant distraction for the campaign. In order to neutralize the issue, Kennedy gave an address to a group of Baptist pastors in Houston and pledged that his Catholicism would not drive his presidential decision-making. Kennedy’s narrow win seemed to validate his approach in many eyes. Similarly, former New York Governor Mario … [Read more...]

A few weeks ago, NBC’s Matt Lauer got the first-ever American interview with Prince William and Prince Harry of Great Britain. The occasion was the approaching 10th anniversary of their mother’s death, Princess Diana.  A few weeks ago, NBC’s Matt Lauer got the first-ever American interview with Prince William and Prince Harry of Great Britain. The occasion was the approaching 10th anniversary of their mother’s death, Princess Diana.  The British community is fascinated with their royalty, even though for centuries the royal family has not ruled the nation. Not only are the British people fascinated with royalty, but Americans are too.  There is something about it that attracts us; so there was great interest in this interview. Prince William must become accustomed to the press.  If normal life spans prevail, he will be the King of England one day. Everyone wants to know what kind of king he is going to be.  This fascination with royalty also accompanied the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth.  When he was born, the maniacal Herod the Great was so bothered by the prophesies about this coming new king that he instigated a campaign of infanticide trying to stop the new movement before it ever got started.  And just … [Read more...]