By Kelly Boggs, Message Editor News outlets reported incorrectly that a Nebraska school district was planning to prohibit teachers from referencing students as boys and girls or ladies and gentlemen. But the desire to create a genderless society in America does exist. Lincoln Public Schools Superintendent Steve Joel said Oct. 9 that “there’s ‘absolutely no truth’ to news and blogger accounts that his district is mandating that teachers replace the terms boys and girls with gender-neutral terms,” the Omaha World-Herald reported. The superintendent explained that a committee at Irving Middle School obtained materials from a group called Gender Spectrum that included a tip sheet for creating an environment of gender inclusiveness. The World-Herald reported, “Instead of calling kids with phrases like ‘boys & girls’ or ‘you guys,’ the tip sheet said teachers could say ‘calling all readers,’ ‘hey campers’ or ‘could all of the athletes come here.’ Students could be divided into groups assigned names. That way, for example, a teacher could ask ‘all of the “purple penguins” to meet at the rug.’” Superintendent Joel said nothing has been mandated in the Lincoln School District pertaining to gender inclusiveness. “The … [Read more...]

By John Yeats, Executive Director of Missouri Baptist Convention I was shocked when the Wall Street Journal recently ran articles about Southern Baptists and Apple Corporation’s Tim Cook on the same page. Interestingly, Cook’s “coming out” announcement actually was verification of old news. Running a story about Southern Baptists above the fold was a shock. The headline read, “Southern Baptists Soften Tone on Gays.” Really? Unlike the Roman Catholics who change at the whim of a pontiff, Southern Baptists on the whole have changed nothing because our core belief system is based on the unchanging absolutes of God’s Word. At the very least, the Journal headline was misleading. Allow me to list of five simple things to remember about Baptists, especially in the context of the social confusion created by a small minority of American citizens: First, Baptists are people of the Book. The principles of God’s Word are neither for sale nor are they negotiable. That makes Baptists a stubborn lot. While biblical principles are for all people everywhere, embracing the Gospel by faith gives individuals the opportunity to enter a personal relationship with the ultimate Author and Teacher of the Word. As a result, Baptists tend to test … [Read more...]

By Bob Carpenter, Pastor of Cedar Street Church I wish I could remember the name of the brother who greeted me and my family when we worshipped with Shadow Hills Church in Las Vegas. Many years later, I keenly remember the warm, enthusiastic way he took us under his care to find the worship center, receive bulletins and meet a few others before the musicians signaled the beginning of the service. Most surprising was his enthusiastic offer, “Can you join my family for dinner after worship?” I am certain it was apparent that we were just tourists and a family already practicing the faith, yet he still gave us the best welcome I have ever received from a church. I think of him often. He lived Christian hospitality. Here’s the question: “What’s become of Christian hospitality?” Before you dismiss the question with the usual, “Times have changed,” “We’re all too busy,” “We’ve become impersonal,” or “It’s not safe to bring strangers into your home,” consider that hospitality is a command from God’s Word: Romans 12:13b – “... practicing hospitality ...” Hebrews 13:2a – “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers ...” 1 Peter 4:9 – “Be hospitable to one another without complaint.” The word translated “hospitable” or … [Read more...]

By David Jeremiah, Pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church Reading the headlines of any newspaper today can produce anxiety and uncertainty; there’s no end to what we can worry about in our world. But in Philippians 4:9, the Bible gives us a 24-word solution to 24-hour anxiety: “The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” Note the progress of the verbs. The apostle Paul had come to the city of Philippi teaching the truths of the Gospel, and the Philippians had learned the message, received it into their lives, heard it proclaimed and explained, and saw it demonstrated. Now, Paul said, “Put it into practice. Do it.” The promised result was that the God of peace would be with them. Here’s the process Paul set forth to counter any terror that strikes our hearts: Learn the message First, we must learn the message. Without Christ, our world is a culture of fear. Without His forgiveness, we’re in danger of guilt. Without His pardon, we’re in danger of judgment. Without His life, we’re in danger of death. Without His promises, we’re in danger of chaos. Without His presence, we’re in danger of loneliness. Without His Gospel, we’re in danger of … [Read more...]

By Barrett Duke, Vice President of the ERLC Marijuana supporters continue to succeed with their plan to legalize this dangerous drug across the country. Their strategy is now quite obvious. They begin by playing on the public’s compassion with medical marijuana, and then follow up with their true agenda: the widespread legalization of recreational marijuana. A quick look at the 2014 vote results reveals this strategy very clearly. Oregon and Alaska, which both legalized recreational marijuana on Tuesday, have had legal medical marijuana since 1998. The medical marijuana efforts passed in those two states because voters were told it would help relieve people’s suffering. Fast forward to 2014, and they now have legal recreational marijuana. Once a state legalizes medical marijuana, proponents know it’s just a matter of time until they can advance their real agenda. Apparently, it takes about 10 to 15 years to desensitize the public enough to the dangers of marijuana to achieve the next step toward full legalization. The other two states to legalize the recreational use of marijuana followed the same trajectory as Oregon and Alaska. Colorado legalized medical marijuana in 1998 and Washington State did so in 2000. Then, in 2012, … [Read more...]

By Terri Stovall, Dean of Women's Programs at SWBTS Walking back from the mailbox last week, I stopped cold in my tracks as I eyed the last envelope in the stack of magazines, junk mail and bills. I knew what it was before I even opened it -- a letter informing me it was time for a mammogram. Instantly my mind raced back exactly two years earlier. Oct. 9 was a Tuesday. What I assumed would be a simple screening mammogram a week earlier led to a more detailed mammogram that led to a biopsy. The phone rang in my office as I was rushing out to chapel and I stopped to answer. I still remember the first words the radiologist on the line said. “Mrs. Stovall, it’s for women like you that I do what I do.” I am one of the fortunate ones. They found the cancer in its very early stages. The next six months involved a partial mastectomy, followed by a second surgery to get clean margins (i.e., they didn’t get it all the first time), six weeks of radiation, trying to tolerate cancer prevention drugs and, since my cancer feeds on estrogen, capping it off with a full hysterectomy. In the midst of all the medical procedures and appointments, one question kept nagging in the back of my mind: What happens when the body betrays? That is, what … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 11/17/2014 - 11:46 Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd answers a question during the Prayer Summit at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Pictured from left to right are NOBTS President Chuck Kelley, previous SBC President Fred Luter, Floyd and Louisiana Baptist Convention President Steve Horn. By Frank Michael McCormack, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS (BP) – Three Southern Baptist leaders, in a “Prayer Summit for Spiritual Awakening” at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, challenged pastors-in-training to seek a fresh movement of God and lead their congregations to experience the same. Ronnie Floyd, president of the Southern Baptist Convention and pastor of Cross Church in northwest Arkansas, opened the prayer summit in New Orleans Seminary’s Leavell Chapel, preaching from Isaiah 63-64. “In the book of Isaiah, there was a situation in chapters 63 and 64 much like what we see in our culture today,” Floyd said. “People are realizing ‘we can’t fix ourselves.’” In Isaiah’s time, Floyd said, the people had wandered from God much like the American church has wandered from God. In his day, Isaiah called the nation to a great awakening, a return to God. The United … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 11/17/2014 - 11:49 Elected as President of next year’s Pastors Conference was (right) Eddie Wren, pastor of First Baptist Church in Rayville; vice-president, (center) Nathan Davis, pastor of First Baptist Church Coushatta; and secretary-treasurer, (left) Chad Gilbert, pastor of Edgewater Baptist Church in New Orleans. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer LAFAYETTE – How does a pastor fulfill his ministry? That was the question speakers set out to answer during their 2014 Louisiana Baptist Pastors Conference sermons Nov. 9-10. “We have a tough culture and somehow as a leader we have to learn how to listen to the voice of God and not the voice of others,” said Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd. “For nothing will be impossible with God.” Citing Luke 1, Floyd said to fulfill one’s ministry, a pastor must learn to rebuke the voice of Satan, refuse the voices of others and release one’s self to God. “When was the last time you surrendered your life and calling to Jesus Christ?” he said. “We need to stop telling God what He can’t do and we need to stop telling God what He should do. We need to start reminding the Lord what He has done and start declaring to God what He can … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 11/17/2014 - 11:52 Joshua Spinks of The Way Church of Denham Springs (center) is presented a check for $35,000 from Louisiana Baptists Executive Director David Hankins (left) and Mission and Ministry Director John Hebert (right). The Spinks received a $35,000 check from the North American Mission Board Legacy Church Program and a matching $35,000 from the Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering for the renovations at the former Calvary Baptist Church property in Denham Springs. The new location will be the new home for The Way, which is in its third year as a church plant. In January, Steve Beckham with Church of Life Fellowship in Baton Rouge received the $35,000/$35,000 match for their restoration of the Brookstown Church property in Baton Rouge. ON THE MOVE Steve (wife Amy) Beard new as pastor at New Bethel Baptist Church, Arcadia. Kenny (wife Anna) Rowe new as pastor at Temple Baptist Church, Springhill. Trey Waldrop new as pastor at First Baptist Church, Amite. David Tassin new as pastor at Bonner Creek Baptist Church, Franklinton. Wilton McMorris new as Associate/Youth Pastor at Milldale Baptist Church, Zachary. Billy (wife Stephanie) Stevens new as pastor at Willow Point … [Read more...]

By David Roach, Baptist Press NASHVILLE (BP) -- If not for a Baptist church split, the Pilgrims might never have come to America. Sort of. John Smyth, who often is credited with being the first Baptist, pastored a church where many of the Christians who later came to be known as Pilgrims were members. But when Smyth began to argue with the future Pilgrims over church government, they formed another church under the leadership of John Robinson. In 1620, a portion of Robinson's congregation sailed to Plymouth, Mass., aboard the Mayflower. Following the split, Smyth became convinced that the Bible teaches believer's baptism and launched the Baptist movement. "Most people don't realize how closely the Pilgrims and the first Baptists were related. John Smyth and [Plymouth Colony governor] William Bradford knew each other, and in fact Smyth pastored the church where many of the Pilgrims were members before they left England for Holland and then sailed to America," Jason Duesing, provost at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, told Baptist Press in written comments. "The world of English Separatism was very intertwined. Those that became Baptists were a formative part of the story that led to the first Thanksgiving." Smyth and … [Read more...]