Though "cautiously optimistic" about the future of the Cooperative Program, Southern Baptist Convention President Frank Page said legitimate concerns must be addressed if the CP is to remain effective.     JACKSON, Tenn. (BP) – Though "cautiously optimistic" about the future of the Cooperative Program, Southern Baptist Convention President Frank Page said legitimate concerns must be addressed if the CP is to remain effective.   Page, pastor of First Baptist Church in Taylors, S.C., addressed the opening session of Union University’s Feb. 15-17 Baptist Identity Conference exploring the theme "Convention, Cooperation and Controversy."   Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources who also spoke on the conference’s first day, said a renewed emphasis on evangelism must begin with individuals and not with the denomination or church programs.   Among the other eight speakers scheduled for the conference were Timothy George, dean of Beeson Divinity School; Paige Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; and David Dockery, president of Union University, located in Jackson, Tenn.   Page, commenting on the Cooperative Program, said, "If it is our desire that everything we’re doing this … [Read more...]

Comfortable couch. Great bed. Clean kitchen and bath. All the comforts of home!         NORCO – Comfortable couch. Great bed. Clean kitchen and bath. All the comforts of home!   With trappings like this, volunteers are much more apt to return for repeat ministry visits to greater New Orleans, says Rudy French, pastor of First Baptist Norco. The church, with the financial support of a deceased member who left money to the church specifically for improving the building, is near completion of its volunteer ministry center.   "Two Sunday school rooms have been converting into lodging," French explained. "We’ve renovated the kitchen and put in a washer and drying, plus a couple of showers."   The ministry center will be able to accommodate groups of up to 20 people, the pastor said. The renovations also included expanding the seating capacity of the worship center.   "If we’re involved with building the Kingdom of God, He’ll take care of building the church," French said.   A dedication service of the new ministry center is set for 11 a.m. Saturday, March 1. John Faull, pastor of Williams Boulevard Baptist Church, is one of five guest speakers.   First Norco had fallen on hard times when French … [Read more...]

"Don’t let good things distract from the best thing in ministry" Rev. Step Martin shared with some forty young pastors from Louisiana gathered at the Paul Timothy Conference Thursday, February 8. ALEXANDRIA – "Don’t let good things distract from the best thing in ministry" Rev. Step Martin shared with some forty young pastors from Louisiana gathered at the Paul Timothy Conference Thursday, February 8. Martin, an evangelist and retired pastor at Calvary Baptist Church, Shreveport facilitated discussions and encouraged pastors to "always have ministry focuses on the main thing —reaching people for Christ." Step reminded pastors that "Satan attacks at the most vital points in life— most vital part of a pastor’s life is reaching people for Christ." The conference was developed to provide an opportunity for younger pastors to be encouraged and learn from a ‘seasoned pastor’ as he shares from his experiences in ministry, said Alan Miller, who was Louisiana Baptist Convention’s Pastoral Leadership team leader, when the conference was planned. Miller now is pastor of First Baptist Monroe. Many of the struggles young pastors face could be avoided had they had an opportunity to discuss them with an experienced pastor, Miller said. The … [Read more...]

God cares about your home. That is, he cares deeply about the relationships in your family and the environment that exists among its members.         God cares about your home. That is, he cares deeply about the relationships in your family and the environment that exists among its members. He cares about the resources you have to support your family and the values that bind you together. He cares about the dangers in your neighborhood and your treatment of your neighbors. When we use the word "home" we often mean to include these dimensions of our life together.   God also cares about your house. That is, he cares about the physical place that you call "home." He cares about the leaks in the roof, the drafts around the windows, the safety of the wiring, and the potential exposure of children to lead-based paints, among many other things. He cares about how cold you are in the winter and how hot in the summer.   We know that God cares about these things in part because he has given extensive instruction in the Bible concerning family relationships and home environment. In the Ten Commandments he instructs us to honor our parents and to treat our neighbors with honesty and respect. He instructs us to … [Read more...]

Will the "great global conflict" of the 21st century be the struggle between Islam and Christianity?         Will the "great global conflict" of the 21st century be the struggle between Islam and Christianity?   Many people think so, including Anglican Archbishop Henry Luke Orombi of Uganda. He is renowned for his courageous stand for biblical faith in the global Anglican flock. Orombi sees the Muslim-Christian contest playing out in political, economic and social spheres in nations of the "global south," where both faiths compete for new followers.   Another Anglican cleric, Mark Durie of Australia, agrees with Orombi. Durie said the 20th century was one of "humanistic ideologies, some of them quite perverse... I believe the capacity of those ideologies to shape the world is petering out." The next 100 years, he predicted, will be a "century of faith."   Not so fast.   Humanist and secularist ideologies continue to wield great influence –- especially among Europeans and American cultural elites. More than we realize, those ideologies affect the church and its global mission task. The Great Commission continues to come under philosophical attack from people who want to silence the preaching of … [Read more...]

A recent national study concerning the media’s influence on teen behavior has some activist groups up in arms. As a result, they believe more must be done to remove content from TV that, they say, entices youngsters toward unhealthy behavior.         A recent national study concerning the media’s influence on teen behavior has some activist groups up in arms. As a result, they believe more must be done to remove content from TV that, they say, entices youngsters toward unhealthy behavior.   A spokesman for one organization is alarmed because kids are "bombarded by images" which are influencing their behavior. This representative believes the pervasive nature of these enticing images is leading kids to conclude that "everybody does it."   Another group contends that every movie depicting the activity should be given an "R" rating. Their argument is that the earlier a young person is exposed to this behavior, the more likely he or she will try it.   So, what is this behavior that researchers say shows up in 74 percent of movies and is also frequently depicted on TV and shamelessly promoted in magazines?   Smoking cigarettes.   "Exposure to Movie Smoking: Its Relation to Smoking Initiation Among … [Read more...]

It is the most pervasive and the least understood form of child abuse. It has a variety of sources and can include teachers, coaches, peers, parents and even ministers.     It is the most pervasive and the least understood form of child abuse. It has a variety of sources and can include teachers, coaches, peers, parents and even ministers. The wounds this abuse inflicts are very often hidden. The culprit to which I refer is the emotional abuse of children.   What exactly is emotional abuse? It is defined as any episode in which a child is made to feel worthless, flawed, unloved, unwanted, or endangered. It can include verbal abuse, unwarranted criticism, or more subtle tactics like intimidation, manipulation, or indifference.   The abuse may be intentional, but there are times when the abuser is oblivious to the damage he or she inflicts. Emotional abuse is almost always a pattern of conduct rather than a single event. And, its effect on a child’s life can be devastating.   What causes emotional abuse? Most emotional cruelty occurs for the same reasons that physical abuse occurs. Adults struggling with a personal crisis such as unemployment, poverty, divorce, illness, death, drug abuse, alcoholism, or depression … [Read more...]

Recently, I was speaking with the wait staff of one restaurant and was surprised to learn that most customers leaving gospel tracts do not bother to leave a tip.   Did you know that wait staff, in most restaurants, make only $2.15 per hour plus tips? Additionally they must pay a percentage of their gross to other employees like hostess, bartenders and bus staff.   Recently, I was speaking with the wait staff of one restaurant and was surprised to learn that most customers leaving gospel tracts do not bother to leave a tip. They said that this practice amounts to a double insult. First, the customer assumed them to be lost and in need of salvation. Second, the absence of a tip implies that the customer was not pleased with the service.   Our kindness and generosity says a lot about our Christian character. We should strive to be kinder than even is necessary for most everyone we meet is fighting some kind of battle. Doyle Cooper DeRidder, La.   … [Read more...]

Since Dr. Patterson became president of SWBTS, I have sadly watched as he has taken more and more rights and privileges away from women that God has called into ministry.   I, along with my husband and sister-in-law, are all alumni of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. I graduated with a master’s degree in christian education in May 1998. Upon graduation, I served as a Minister of Christian Education at a Southern Baptist church and then later served at another SBC church in Montgomery, Ala. At both churches I taught adult discipleship classes, amidst doing my paid ministry work, and had pastors who lovingly understood that women are called to ministry, even among men.   Since Dr. Patterson became president of SWBTS, I have sadly watched as he has taken more and more rights and privileges away from women that God has called into ministry. At SWBTS, the programs have changed, articles demean women in the alumni magazine and a woman on the teaching staff has become non-tenured. All this has occurred in an effort to control the place of women at SWBTS and in ministry. I believe these changes have been made by men who are insecure and afraid.   In light of the changes that have taken place under Dr. Patterson’s … [Read more...]

Inmates at the Richland Parish Detention Center for Women can now worship the Lord in their very own chapel, thanks, in part, to the Richland Baptist Association, said Director of Missions, James Carson.         RICHLAND ASSOCIATION – Inmates at the Richland Parish Detention Center for Women can now worship the Lord in their very own chapel, thanks, in part, to the Richland Baptist Association, said Director of Missions, James Carson.   Last year, the association, along with Deer Creek Association and believers in other denominations, helped finance and provide volunteers to build the chapel, a project that cost just under $40,000, Carson said. The detention center is a parish-owned facility that houses almost 400 inmates.   "Only God in heaven knows of the eternal investments [donors] made possible so ladies now and through the years to come will hear the gospel proclaimed here and whose lives will be eternally changed by the Holy Spirit of God," Carson concluded in the program for the chapel’s dedication service on August 6, 2006.   "The vision for the building of this chapel was placed in the heart and mind of Warden Linda Laing as she realized a need for a place of worship for the inmates … [Read more...]