An Alexandria judge heard testimony last week in a case challenging the recent election of a new Louisiana College president. An Alexandria judge heard testimony last week in a case challenging the recent election of a new Louisiana College president. Ninth Judicial District Judge Dexter Ryland spent an entire day receiving testimony from various witnesses regarding the process followed in the recent election of Joe Aguillard as school president. He then scheduled additional arguments in the case for an upcoming date. Aguillard was elected on January 17 on a vote of 17-13 as president of the Louisiana Baptist school. However, a suit quickly was filed contesting the process followed in that election. The saga dates back to last March, when then-LC President Rory Lee announced his retirement. A search committee was formed according to the procedure established by school bylaws. However, that search committee worked under constant criticism from some, who were supporting Aguillard as president and who felt he would not receive a fair hearing from the search committee. The committee eventually nominated Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary educator Malcolm Yarnell as president – and he was … [Read more...]

A significant amount of study and thought is being given to the A significant amount of study and thought is being given to the fact that, when considering inflation, overall giving to Baptist churches, associations and conventions is losing ground. The decrease in “real money” is not a sharp drop; rather, it is plateauing and tapering downward. Still, this reflects a trend that is troubling to those who understand what this means to kingdom work done through Southern Baptist ministries. People given to a study of this trend enumerate a number of reasons why giving from churches to cooperative Southern Baptist ministries has slackened. Some point to the increasing costs of local churches. Some say it reflects an increasing self-centeredness of churches. Others say there is a diminishing loyalty to denominations. Others even would say that economic conditions are the cause. But it seems to this editor that the foundation cause is a lack of biblical stewardship. For generations, Baptists have taught very clearly that the biblical standard for giving begins with a tithe – 10 percent of a Christian’s income to the church. There may have been arguments about whether or not tithing was legalism or just an … [Read more...]

There are some things you are better off not knowing,” my mother used to say. You know, I think she was right. There are some things you are better off not knowing,” my mother used to say. You know, I think she was right. Funerals of loved ones are painful, but they often are the only times extended families get together. Inevitably, conversations turn to childhood stories. That happened during the time of my brother’s funeral a few weeks ago. I started thinking about the birth of the three children in our family. I do not remember the birth of my older brother, but I do remember the birth of my younger sister. Dad came home from the hospital and gathered my brother and me from the neighborhood. He was beaming. “Boys, guess what?” We had no idea what to guess. “You mother just gave you a new little sister.” I had no idea what to think of that. Having no idea where little sisters came from, I just accepted the news. The events surrounding Judy’s birth were festive, even jubilant. When I realized how happy Mother was, I joined in the celebration. I had no idea how much Mother wanted a daughter until later when I realized I was supposed to be a girl – thus, my name, Lynn. Years later, I heard my … [Read more...]

How would Dorris Dowden make a difference for Christ in a ministry at East Leesville Baptist Church when she devoted most of her time to care for seriously-ill family members? How would Dorris Dowden make a difference for Christ in a ministry at East Leesville Baptist Church when she devoted most of her time to care for seriously-ill family members? That was the question Dowden faced after participating in the 40 Days of Purpose study last March at the western Louisiana church. At the time, her husband had Alzheimers disease, one sister was handicapped and her other sister had cancer. That is when fellow church member Dianne Stratton shared with Dowden her vision to organize the Compassion In Action ministry. After much prayer, God provided someone to assist Dowden with her duties of caring for her family members so she could dedicate Mondays to work with the fledgling ministry. Soon, she was working three days a week with Compassion in Action, which seeks to impact a person’s life in the Leesville community with acts of kindness. “Those visits are so fulfilling when the people tell us how it brightens their day just because we took a little bouquet of flowers, sat, visited and prayed for them,” … [Read more...]

When Jim Blakely faced medical difficulties in recent years and had to be admitted to the hospital, a friend would ask if there was a family member who needed to be contacted. When Jim Blakely faced medical difficulties in recent years and had to be admitted to the hospital, a friend would ask if there was a family member who needed to be contacted. “I have no one,” Blakely always replied to the query. “You are my family.” Ask Blakely about his family now, and he ticks off a list of people – a son, a daughter-in-law, a daughter, two grandchildren, even a great grandchild. Indeed, what alcohol stole away from Blakely for three decades or more, the Brantley Baptist Center in New Orleans, a tenacious daughter-in-law and the grace of God itself has restored. Blakely has a family again – the same family he once abandoned and then some.  ‘I just disappeared’ Blakely’s story begins in the Northeast – in Massachusetts – where he was living in the 1960s. He was drinking heavily and finding it difficult to hold down a job. The situation was straining his family, which including two small children at the time – a son and a daughter. “I was destroying everybody around me, ...” Blakely admits as he sits at a … [Read more...]

Half of all Americans age 12 or older – 119 persons in all – can be classified as current drinkers of alcohol, the most-recent nationwide study on drug use and health indicates. Half of all Americans age 12 or older – 119 persons in all – can be classified as current drinkers of alcohol, the most-recent nationwide study on drug use and health indicates. About 50.1 percent of Americans currently use alcohol, the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health shows. The survey was based on 136,000 interviews conducted in 2002 and 2003. The survey results recently were reported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. For the study, a current user of alcohol is defined as one who has had at least one drink in the previous 30 days. Binge drinking is defined as five or more drinks on the same occasion at least once in the past 30 days. In turn, heavy drinking is defined as having five or more drinks on the same occasion on at least five different days in the past 30 days. The findings of the national survey show the extent of drug and alcohol use across the nation. In alcohol-related findings, it indicates: • About 54 million (22.6 percent) of Americans age 12 or older had participated in … [Read more...]

Recent indictments in a sophisticated antiquities forgery ring have cast a pall over the entire field of biblical archaeology and could provide new arguments for those seeking to delegitimize Jewish claims to the Holy Land. Recent indictments in a sophisticated antiquities forgery ring have cast a pall over the entire field of biblical archaeology and could provide new arguments for those seeking to delegitimize Jewish claims to the Holy Land. That is because religious leaders – and even governments – use the presence or absence of archaeological discoveries to bolster their claims to truth and territory or to refute someone else’s. “There is a huge fight over who has a claim to the Land of Israel,” said David Hazony, editor in chief of Azure, a Jerusalem-based journal. “When archaeological finds emerge that show certain aspects of the Bible are historically true, it strengthens the claim that there were Jewish people in this land and, therefore, have a right to be here.” When such biblical artifacts are not discovered or are shown to be hoaxes, some draw the opposite conclusion. “There are people who say the Bible is false, so the Jews had no right to come to Israel, that Zionism is a … [Read more...]

Depending on the statistics used, two-thirds – or as many as eight in 10 – Southern Baptist churches are plateaued or declining these days. Depending on the statistics used, two-thirds – or as many as eight in 10 – Southern Baptist churches are plateaued or declining these days. Ken Hemphill has seen the numbers. He thinks he has a solution. “How do you turn the plateaued or declining church into a growing, vibrant church?” asked Hemphill, Southern Baptist Convention strategist for the Empowering Kingdom Growth emphasis that seeks to help persons focus all of life on the kingdom of God and its work. “My conviction is the problem that creates plateaued churches is spiritual myopia. When we look inward, we see all of our flaws and shortcomings – we don’t have enough staff, we don’t have enough room, we don’t have enough buildings. Everything turns inward. “The only way to change that is to get a global vision as we begin to look at the world as God sees it,” Hemphill said. The church growth movement contributed to the condition by leading churches to focus on their particular congregation without equal concern for the world, Hemphill suggested. “The problem is such thinking creates a competitive … [Read more...]

For years, I have watched as the United States has become more and more a mission field for the gospel of Christ. This fact seems not only more evident, it also reflects a growing, more complex mission field. Two events in the last weeks have driven this home. For years, I have watched as the United States has become more and more a mission field for the gospel of Christ. This fact seems not only more evident, it also reflects a growing, more complex mission field. Two events in the last weeks have driven this home. Last month, I had the opportunity to spend a few days in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. That area’s mission needs are not just shown by its increasing population, but the kind of social structures that make reaching the people there more difficult. One could describe this difficulty by saying folks have a tendency to live in ghettos. But, the kinds of ghettos are significantly different from what one might imagine. While on a touristy cruise along the Intracoastal Waterway and New River, the guide explained a number of the 40-story, block-long buildings contain hundreds of condominiums whose sale prices start at one million dollars. Amazingly, the buildings are sold out before they are completed. Of … [Read more...]

Louisiana gambling The Jena Band of Choctaws and Louisiana officials apparently are talking again about allowing the tribe to open a casino – in Central Louisiana this time. The tribe has been trying to establish a reservation for years in order to open a casino. In 2002, it gained state approval to open one in Vinton. However, the deal was not approved by the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs. Now, the tribe has entered into talks with the Gov. Kathleen Blanco administration about locating a casino in the Creola community of Central Louisiana. An environmental assessment of the proposal is underway – but a formal compact agreement between the state and the Indian tribe to open the casino has not been negotiated. Nevertheless, an attorney for the tribe voiced confidence that the casino will be built. If so, it will represent further expansion of legalized gambling in Louisiana, which already is saturated with a variety of types. In some ways, Louisiana has led the nation in gambling expansion – but other states are not far behind. In 1985, only Nevada and New Jersey allowed casinos. Today, 17 states allow some type of casino gambling, 40 states have lotteries, 40 states have horse or dogtrack racing and Indian … [Read more...]