When Johnny Rayford received the e-mail to Mississippi pastors requesting volunteers across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, he decided he had to respond. When Johnny Rayford received the e-mail to Mississippi pastors requesting volunteers across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, he decided he had to respond. Rayford immediately gathered all the equipment he would need and headed south. However, his truck was not loaded with chain saws, cleaning supplies or water. Instead, Rayford brought cooking pots, four portable gas burners, propane tanks, a pile of spices and boxes of food on the road. He then ended up at First Baptist Church of Bay St. Louis, Miss., doing one of the things he does best. Rayford serves as pastor at Crestwood Baptist Church in Jackson, Miss., and admits he is not good with a chain saw. “But I can do some cooking,” he insists. At one time, Rayford owned a Jackson restaurant called “A Little Taste of New Orleans” and was pastor of a small church. But a fire that destroyed his restaurant sent him in a new direction. He decided to be a fulltime pastor. “My restaurant was my passion,” he says. “And when it becomes your passion, it consumes you. When the restaurant burned down, I lost it all. … [Read more...]

Week of October 10, 2005 Enabling relief work Southern Baptist International Mission Board has announced employees of that agency will be allowed five days of paid administrative leave to help in Hurricane Katrina disaster relief. “Without affecting any other (paid time off) or administrative leave, you can have a full week to be involved in this disaster relief,” agency President Jerry Rankin recently told staff members. “We want to do our part.” Employees may serve with whatever organization they choose – Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, the Red Cross or other teams. Without the allowance, staff who wished to be personally involved in on-site relief efforts would have had to take personal vacation time. Staff members will be eligible for the five days of paid leave as long as Katrina relief efforts continue. LC schedules lecture Louisiana College has scheduled its annual Sanders Lectureship in Biblical Studies for Oct. 18-20 at 10:50 a.m.  Emir Caner, dean of the College at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, will serve as the keynote speaker. The lectureship is designed to bring a Bible teacher or scholar to the campus of the Pineville school in order to lead the community in a … [Read more...]

Week of October 10, 2005 Potpourri BATON ROUGE – Foster Road church:  Mike Canady, guest speaker; Oct. 23, 10:15 a.m.; Huey Moak, pastor. WINNFIELD – First church: “Abducted” Judgement House production; Oct. 26-31, 6-8 p.m.;  $2 donation; for tickets, call (318) 628-3544; John Holland, minister of music; Brandon Lewis, minister of youth; Lindsey Burns, pastor. DERIDDER – Westview church: Beauregard Associational meeting on Oct. 13 cancelled due to hurricane Rita; Roy Lee Johnson, director of missions. LIBUSE – Philadelphia church: Emir Caner, co-author of the book “Behind the Veil,” guest speaker; Oct. 19, 6:15 p.m.; Philip Robertson, pastor. PINEVILLE – Pineville Park church: The Harrell’s in  concert;  Oct. 16, 5 p.m.; Gregory R. Carroll, pastor. Revivals ALBANY – Old Zion Hill church: Oct. 23, 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Oct. 24-26, 7 p.m.; guest speakers are as follows: Sunday/Lonnie Wascom, Monday/David Hankins, Tuesday/Ken Taylor and Wednesday/Jeremy Thompson; Glenda Jelks, music; Bobby Stultz, pastor. COTTON VALLEY – Unity church: Oct. 23, 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Oct. 24-26, 7 p.m.; Joe Aulds, evangelist; Cecil Marr, pastor. EROS – Oak Grove church: Oct. 16, 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Oct. 17-19, 7 p.m.; … [Read more...]

Another piece about the destruction and terrible impact of sister hurricanes Katrina and Rita hardly seems necessary, but saying “thank you” certainly does. By Lynn P. Clayton LBM Editor Another piece about the destruction and terrible impact of sister hurricanes Katrina and Rita hardly seems necessary, but saying “thank you” certainly does. Again and again, the kindness, compassion and generosity of literally hundreds of thousands – probably millions – of people shown to the victims of the hurricanes have been overwhelming. Institutional generosity has been impressive. It seems every major company in America has given significantly of goods, services, manpower and money to relief efforts, as individuals have opened their hearts and pocketbooks to help. Their financial contributions will total millions upon millions of dollars. And may I say without trying to be boastful, churches and other religious organizations have been incredibly generous with services, goods, money and spiritual and moral support. This editor is bold enough to estimate that outside of government aid, at least one half of all financial and personnel assistance has come through religious organizations or because of Christian … [Read more...]

Global Maritime Ministries, the Southern Baptist ministry to the Port of New Orleans and the Port of South Louisiana, has found that the world is truly at their doorstep as thousands of international seamen enter their ports each year. Global Maritime Ministries, the Southern Baptist ministry to the Port of New Orleans and the Port of South Louisiana, has found that the world is truly at their doorstep as thousands of international seamen enter their ports each year. The minstry’s three-man staff often has the opportunity to share Christ with persons from countries closed to missionaries. But the presence of relief workers from across the nation and the prevalence of loss due to Hurricane Katrina have produced a myriad of new visitors and ministry opportunities for the port ministry, even as they deal with their own loss. Though no physical damage was sustained at the two centers and offices operated by the South Louisiana ministry, personal loss was much greater. Philip Vandercook, executive director of Global Maritime Ministries, and his staff returned to the New Orleans port as soon as authorities allowed, providing clothes, Bibles and supplies for those in need, including 15 Harbor Police officers … [Read more...]

Cooperative Program giving for national causes during fiscal 2004-05 that ended September 30 finished above 2003-2004’s by $6,083,167, or 3.20 percent, and exceeded the approved 2004-2005 budget for the year by $12,496,728. Cooperative Program giving for national causes during fiscal 2004-05 that ended September 30 finished above 2003-2004’s by $6,083,167, or 3.20 percent, and exceeded the approved 2004-2005 budget for the year by $12,496,728. The Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Board, acting ad interim on behalf of the Southern Baptist Convention, voted that beyond-the-budget contributions for the last fiscal year go to three areas of great need among Southern Baptists caused by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The amount could be as much as $7 million. Distribution of the money will be: • One-half to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary to aid faculty and students recover from losses and to help rebuild the campus. • One-fourth to the three state conventions most affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita to keep ministers on their fields and to assist churches in recovery. • One-fourth to North American Mission Board for its extensive hurricane disaster relief operation. The Great Commission … [Read more...]

I spent all day Sept. 29 with three good friends, and it was one of the worst days of my life. We were finally able to get into New Orleans and begin the process of checking on our churches with associational worker Freddie Arnold, church builder Ed Jelks and his wife, Glenda. Guest commentary By Joe McKeever Director of Missions Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans I spent all day Sept. 29 with three good friends, and it was one of the worst days of my life. We were finally able to get into New Orleans and begin the process of checking on our churches with associational worker Freddie Arnold, church builder Ed Jelks and his wife, Glenda. We spent the day visiting more than 20 churches. We confined our visits to Orleans Parish. We drove down deserted streets with no traffic lights, with destruction on both sides, downed trees everywhere, homes boarded up, every store and every business closed. Not some and not most – every last one. From the time we entered New Orleans at 9:30 a.m. until we moved into Metairie seven hours later, we did not see one place to buy a Coke or go to the restroom. No birds were singing. One or two stray cats showed up and ran away. We saw an occasional … [Read more...]

Jim Spencer has fought his share of battles throughout his lifetime. By Brian Blackwell LBM Newswriter Jim Spencer has fought his share of battles throughout his lifetime. Six years ago, he underwent a multiple heart bypass  surgery – and fully recovered. Today, he faces one of the most decisive battles of his life – a bout with cancer. But if history is any indication, the pastor of Kingsville Baptist Church in Pineville is prepared for the fight – with the support of his church family and Louisiana Baptists,  who are preaching for Spencer while he  undergoes treatment. “God healed me six years ago, and I know he can now,” says Spencer, who has served at the Louisiana Baptist church for 29 years. “Pastors from all over Louisiana have called and reached out to me. Plus, I’ve received hundreds of cards and letters of encouragement.” Spencer learned May 10 that he has renal cell carcinoma – the most common kidney cancer among adults. During the first two months of treatment, Spencer traveled weekly to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, though now he is treated at the hospital just once every two to three weeks. Soon after Spencer began his medical treatment, interim youth minister … [Read more...]

Jerry Rankin admits he has a burden for West Africa, which perennially tops other regions in missionary resignations and ranks near the bottom of missionary appointments. Jerry Rankin admits he has a burden for West Africa, which perennially tops other regions in missionary resignations and ranks near the bottom of missionary appointments. “We experienced the heat, life in the villages, bone-jarring travel and saw the challenge of evangelizing this impoverished, disease-ridden, resistant area of the world,” said the International Mission Board president. “Many missionary families live in isolated locations without the amenities of phone service and reliable electricity. “Disease is rampant – the discussion is not whether or not one has contracted malaria, but when you last had an attack and how you are treating it. Missionaries have regularly had to evacuate countries as political coups and ethnic violence exacerbate the instability and danger.” Rankin’s comments about the discouraging environment of suffering in the region came during the recent meeting of International Mission Board trustees. West Africa was one of Southern Baptists’ earliest mission fields. In 2000, Nigeria commemorated 150 … [Read more...]

Listen to a St. Louis Cardinals radio broadcast and you won’t hear broadcasters Wayne Hagin and Rick Horton present the Gospel overtly. Their job is to talk about baseball, not about God. Listen to a St. Louis Cardinals radio broadcast and you won’t hear broadcasters Wayne Hagin and Rick Horton present the Gospel overtly. Their job is to talk about baseball, not about God. But in subtle ways, Hagin and Horton do what they can to reflect God’s grace in their lives – either over the airwaves or in their direct contact with people. “If Christ is in us, there’s going to be an aroma of Christ,” Horton said. “It has nothing to do with me. It’s just God’s grace in our life. I guess I have a hope and a belief that that shows through in ways I can’t even understand.” Hagin is the play-by-play announcer for all the Cardinals radio broadcasts. Horton, a former St. Louis pitcher, does the weekend television broadcasts with Bob Carpenter and also fills in on the radio from time to time for analyst Mike Shannon. For Hagin, the best way for him to share the Gospel with others is to live it. “The best sermon I ever heard was the one I saw,” Hagin said. “People watch how you conduct yourself. Major League Baseball … [Read more...]