Barbara Dickson knows the ins and outs of being a director of missions in Louisiana probably as much or more than any other woman in the state. NATCHITOCHES – Barbara Dickson knows the ins and outs of being a director of missions in Louisiana probably as much or more than any other woman in the state. She’s actually done the job herself when her husband, Lee, director of missions for District Eight, a five-association area in West Central Louisiana, was called up to active duty military service, first in 1990 for Desert Storm, and then again in 2003 for the war with Iraq, she said. “Since I’d been working alongside Lee all those years, I was prepared,” she said. “I knew all the churches, pastors, and congregations.”  Dickson became DOM in 1978 when Barbara was working at the Frazier Medical Center in Many as a RN, she said. Their children, John and Linda, were both toddlers at the time, she recalled. “We asked the Lord to give us a house that would have two front entrances, so I could stay home with the kids and work as his secretary,” she said. The couple did the mission work out of their home until recently. The district office was opened in July 2006. Though Barbara had planned for her career to be in nursing, … [Read more...]

Fortunately for Ann Clark, children’s minister at Cook Baptist Church, the girls in vacation Bible school won. RUSTON – Fortunately for Ann Clark, children’s minister at Cook Baptist Church, the girls in vacation Bible school won. If the boys won, Clark says she would have lived up to her promise to kiss a goat, but since the girls won, it was  Pastor Mike Holloway who had the dubious honor of getting closer than nose-to-nose with a Nubian goat. “It wasn’t that bad,” Holloway said, grinning at the same time he was involuntarily wiping his mouth at the memory. “It helped that 200 kids and more than 100 adults were shouting, “Kiss The Goat!” In a contest to see whether boys or girls could bring in more money toward the goal of $1,500 for a mission project on the Navajo Indian Reservation in New Mexico, $1,756 was raised – over half by girls. “The other good news is that the church saw 45 children pray to receive Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior during VBS,” Holloway said. “If it takes kissing a goat to excite the kids about raising money for missions and for 45 children to get saved, then bring another goat next year!” In all, 225 youngsters from age 4 to grade 6 enrolled in Cook’s VBS. “One thing that helped … [Read more...]

It’s doubtful that many Christians remember the name “Nebo-Sarsekim” from reading the Old Testament, but thanks to an archaeological discovery at the British Museum, they may in the future. LONDON (BP) – It’s doubtful that many Christians remember the name “Nebo-Sarsekim” from reading the Old Testament, but thanks to an archaeological discovery at the British Museum, they may in the future. British Museum officials announced recently the discovery of a two-inch-wide, 2,500-year-old cuneiform tablet that contains details of a financial transaction by a “Nabu-sharrussu-ukin,” who is called in the tablet the “chief eunuch” of Babylon King Nebuchadnezzar. That’s the same person mentioned in Jeremiah 39:3 – although spelled differently in different translations –  as the chief officer of Nebuchadnezzar who was in Jerusalem when the Babylonians overtook the city around 587 B.C. Conservative biblical scholars say it’s another affirmation that the Bible is true – even in the smallest of details, such as names. Babylonian names notoriously are difficult to translate. The Holman Christian Standard and the New King James Version call him “Sarsechim.” The New International Version calls him “Nebo-Sarsekim” The small tablet … [Read more...]

A young couple – he with Louisiana roots – were among the 84 missionaries appointed in mid-July to serve with the other 5,100 missionaries representing the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board. RICHMOND, VA. – A young couple – he with Louisiana roots – were among the 84 missionaries appointed in mid-July to serve with the other 5,100 missionaries representing the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board. Crystal Anne and Jeremy William Nelson are to serve in South America. She will be involved in community outreach through their home; he will be involved in community outreach, development and ministry. Jeremy Nelson was born in Hammond, La. … [Read more...]

In his classic work 1984, George Orwell saw a day when government eventually would morph into a ubiquitous, all-seeing, all-controlling Big Brother. In his classic work 1984, George Orwell saw a day when government eventually would morph into a ubiquitous, all-seeing, all-controlling Big Brother. While the British author’s prognostication might have been off a few decades, his fictitious view of the future is slowly, but surely, becoming reality. Conservatives, liberals and libertarians don’t agree on much. However, there is one subject that most of them see eye-to-eye on, and that is our world is becoming more monitored and more regulated with each passing day. And while government isn’t always the culprit, we nonetheless are being watched. Surveillance cameras abound. Most of our movements can be traced by surveillance cameras strategically positioned in parking lots, stores and ATMs. If while going through airport security you are randomly selected or happen to have the tiniest bit of metal on you, you are going to be subjected to scrutiny just short of a strip search. And, depending on the circumstance, you might be asked to do that as well. Have you noticed the packaging on most items today? It takes special … [Read more...]

It grieves me to say this, but on Tuesday evening of the SBC meeting in San Antonio, our Convention took an action that I believe could be misunderstood, resulting in harm to our system. It grieves me to say this, but on Tuesday evening of the SBC meeting in San Antonio, our Convention took an action that I believe could be misunderstood, resulting in harm to our system. The convention passed a motion that asked our agencies not to set doctrinal standards other than those set forth in the Baptist Faith and Message. Many of us took this as criticism of the IMB for its stance on charismatic private prayer language  (tongues), and the prohibition against beverage alcohol that most of our agencies have established. The convention may not have known about these issues. Neither are mentioned in the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. First of all, our trustees cannot be instructed by the Executive Committee without opening the door to legal ascending liability. So the motion technically called their instruction a “guideline.” In essence, the motion asked convention agencies to impose no doctrinal policies that go beyond the explicit language of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000. Rather than continuing to use the BF&M as the … [Read more...]

The rhetoric over the need for new government regulations assuring “fairness” in the media is heating up, and Americans who don’t want the government to be the speech police need to tune into the debate. The rhetoric over the need for new government regulations assuring “fairness” in the media is heating up, and Americans who don’t want the government to be the speech police need to tune into the debate. While not new, this idea was resurrected this year by Ohio congressman and presidential aspirant Dennis Kucinich. Now several prominent Democrats in the Senate are recalling fondly the time when the Fairness Doctrine was in place. No doubt it’s the dream of recapturing the White House that has spurred these politicians to consider codifying the doctrine, which as Federal Communications Commission policy from 1949-1987 mandated that opposing viewpoints of a divisive issue had to be presented when the issue was discussed on radio. Under such a government rule, radio networks would have to allow opposing viewpoints free airtime to babble on about liberal fantasies. Yet the hard, cold truth is that radio stations can’t afford to give away airtime. So instead of more balanced coverage of the issues, station managers will … [Read more...]

My kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36, NIV). My kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36, NIV). Such was Jesus’ reply to Pilate’s inquiry about Jesus being the king of the Jews. The governor was interested in just what kind of kingdom this was and why it should have provoked such a vitriolic clamoring for Jesus’ execution. The same question aggravated the former king at the time of Jesus’ birth. Herod saw this new kingdom as a threat; so he sent his soldiers on a draconian campaign of infanticide to try to stop it before it could gain momentum. At his birth and at his death, and in all his ministry in between, Jesus was identified by the message: “The kingdom of God is at hand.”  It caused everyone to ask the same questions – the religious establishment, his disciples, and the throngs who followed him everywhere: What kind of kingdom is it? Will it rival the Sanhedrin for religious control? Will it overthrow Rome? Will its followers be lords and rulers over the culture? People are still asking today, “What kind of kingdom does Jesus promise?” One of the goals of our current Empowering Kingdom Growth-Louisiana initiative is to answer that question. A good starting place is to take seriously Jesus’ … [Read more...]

Ergun Caner is to speak at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, and 10:45 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 12, at Pisgah Baptist Church, north of Ruston in Concord-Union Association. BERNICE – Ergun Caner is to speak at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, and 10:45 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 12, at Pisgah Baptist Church, north of Ruston in Concord-Union Association. When Ergun Caner was named president of Liberty Theological Seminary in Lynchburg, Va., in 2005, he became the first former Muslim to become the leader of an evangelical seminary. Along with his brother, Emir, Caner has become a leading voice for evangelicalism on the national stage. He has been a guest on FOX, MSNBC, CNBC, BBC and TBN. Caner has debated Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Bah’ai over 60 times at universities and colleges. He has written 14 books, including the intriguing When Worldviews Collide (LifeWay 2005) on the subject of global apologetics and defending the Christian faith. This is a rare opportunity to hear one of the clearest communicators today in the field of Christian apologetics. For more information see www.pisgahchurch.com.   … [Read more...]

Vacation Bible school at First Baptist here is not only a family affair. It’s also an Acts 1:8 affair. DRY PRONG —Vacation Bible school at First Baptist here is not only a family affair. It’s also an Acts 1:8 affair. With classes for adults, youth, and children, First Dry Prong seeks to use the time-tested evangelistic success of VBS to reach a multitude of age groups in the surrounding community, Pastor Lloyd Whitman said. “Everybody in our church at Dry Prong can go to Bible school from 3 to 100 years old, because Bible school is that important,” the pastor said. “It’s been my experience here at Dry Prong that our adults love Bible school. The first year, people said ‘We never heard of such,’ but that year we had over 100 adults at night, and that was eight years ago. [The adults] go through the same program as the children, including crafts, recreation, and some of the music.” In years past, supper was prepared for adult attendees, most of whom were coming in from work, Whitman said. The meal was followed by craft time, a team effort that usually followed along with the VBS theme. One year, adults built space ships. This year, however, the program was a little different, with adult lessons conducted on Sunday … [Read more...]