The marriage protection amendment to the United States Constitution crashed and burned in the U.S. Senate. Why? The marriage protection amendment to the United States Constitution crashed and burned in the U.S. Senate.   Why?   Some say that most people believe gays should be able to enjoy the benefits of marriage. Some say that marriage is a states’ matter and each   state should be able to determine who can lawfully marry. Some say the issue does not deserve changing the constitution, that the constitution is too sacred to change except under rare circumstance, and other ways could handle the marriage situation. Enough senators hold one or more of these views to keep the Senate from allowing a vote on the matter.   Most observers, including President Bush, said the amendment did not have the support it needed to pass in the Senate. The Baptist Message, in addition to just about all other publications in the nation, reported that unless there was a huge effort from voters to move their senators to support the matter, it would fail. The Baptist Message made contacting U.S. senators easy - we gave the mailing address, phone number and email address of our two … [Read more...]

A center of hope: In an older, red-brick building near the Central Business District of New Orleans, Southern Baptists work to minister to those in need - the homeless, the poor, the addicted, the desperate A center of hope: In an older, red-brick building near the Central Business District of New Orleans, Southern Baptists work to minister to those in need - the homeless, the poor, the addicted, the desperate   Tobey Pitman is convinced that angels have visited the center he directs on the corner of Magazine and Common streets in New Orleans.   His theory is that they are sent there to check up on the work being done and to give Pitman and others a reality check as well - "Are we doing what we’ve been called to do? Are we treating people with dignity and respect?"   And why not?   At the Brantley Baptist Center in New Orleans, Pitman directs work Jesus himself described as fundamental to the Christian call - helping the homeless, the poor, the down-and-out, the desperate.   It is a ministry Pitman never thought to lead.   The Texas native came to New Orleans in the 1970s to attend New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. "I came for a good time - and … [Read more...]

It is mid-morning - and the early summer New Orleans air already is heavy with moisture that likely will turn into an afternoon rain shower. It is mid-morning - and the early summer New Orleans air already is heavy with moisture that likely will turn into an afternoon rain shower.   After parking in a riverside garage, one walks a few blocks in the direction of the Louisiana Superdome, trying to stay on the shaded side of the buildings to escape the sun.   Turning the corner onto Magazine Street, one stops to make sure which way the addresses are running - then turns to the right. Final destination is just at the end of the block.   Walking the short distance, one notices the Franklin Printing Co. across the street. The multi-storied facility is closed now - and has been for awhile from the looks of it.   A man sits in the front of the building, his belongings piled nearby, a small American flag - like the ones waved at Fourth of July parades - stuck in a bucket at his feet.   This man watches the parade of New Orleans life pass. Nearby, another man sleeps on a cardboard mattress, head propped on a plastic bag of wadded-up clothing.   They are what … [Read more...]

Every year, Southeastern Conference schools engage in fierce athletic competition. But for 12 days this summer, four SEC universities - along with two non-conference schools - put aside their differences on the athletic field and teamed up for a missions trip to Africa. Every year, Southeastern Conference schools engage in fierce athletic competition.   But for 12 days this summer, four SEC universities - along with two non-conference schools - put aside their differences on the athletic field and teamed up for a missions trip to Africa.   It was the first time a group of SEC schools have participated in a joint missions trip, said Steve Masters, Baptist Collegiate Ministry director at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.   Three Louisiana Baptist Collegiate Ministry groups - LSU, McNeese State University in Lake Charles and Louisiana College in Pineville - joined the Mississippi State Baptist Student Union, and the University of Tennessee and The University of Alabama BCMs in the effort.   In Africa, the teams shared the gospel with 15,000 students, ministered to villagers and assisted missionaries with church planting efforts.   "This trip gave the … [Read more...]

Southern Baptist leaders have released the most-important number related to their recent annual meeting. 1,932. Southern Baptist leaders have released the most-important number related to their recent annual meeting.   1,932.   That is the number of professions of faith recorded during the Crossover evangelistic effort held in the Indianapolis area prior to the annual convention.   The professions of faith were recorded through revival crusades, evangelistic block parties, prayerwalking, street evangelism, door-to-door spiritual opinion surveys and other initiatives.   "Only heaven will reveal how many more will get saved out of Crossover because of the burden these new Christians have to see their family and friends come to Christ," said John Rogers, director of evangelism and prayer with the State Convention of Baptists in Indiana.   More than 120 of Indiana’s 430 Southern Baptist churches and missions participated in the Crossover effort, which included 70 evangelistic block parties and 97 weekend revivals statewide. And nearly 1,000 volunteers - about half from out of state - joined the Crossover outreach.   Rogers said 80 professions of faith … [Read more...]

As is well-known by now, the Federal Marriage Amendment was defeated in the Senate on a procedural vote last week, but its supporters said the debate on the issue is far from done. As is well-known by now, the Federal Marriage Amendment was defeated in the Senate on a procedural vote last week, but its supporters said the debate on the issue is far from done.   The amendment would define marriage in the United States as only between a man and a woman. As a constitutional amendment, it must pass the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives by two-thirds margin and be ratified by three-fourths of the states in the Union.   The process began with the Senate.   However, the amendment itself did not make it to a vote in that chamber of Congress. Needing 60 votes to limit debate and allow a vote - a procedure called invoking cloture - amendment supporters received only 48 votes. Fifty senators voted against cloture, in essence blocking a vote.   "The battle has just begun," amendment sponsor Sen. Wayne Allard, R.-Colo., said after the vote. "I think this is a very strong first vote. This is a long process. Nobody on our side, I think, ever felt for a minute that this was going … [Read more...]

I will not speak in public," she told me, "but I do have a story." I will not speak in public," she told me, "but I do have a story." The mission congregation I have the pleasure of serving as bi-vocational pastor was organizing as a church after more than 60 years as a mission. The mission was started as a "social ministry" and was not expected to become a "church." But, changes were made some 10 years ago and the goal of becoming a self-supporting church was being realized Sunday. Only two of the original "mission participants" are around to recount those early days. The man gave his testimony the Sunday monring of the constituting. He recounted how God and the mission where faithful through the years. His account was moving. The lady’s "story" was recounted through a messenger. "I was just a little girl and my mother was very, very poor. We lived in a tiny little, poor kind of house. One day, Emory Wallace (the pastor of the sponsoring church) and another man came to our house. He said they were starting a mission in our neighborhood. He said they were looking for members and contributions. "My mother said she would be interested in being a member, then she went into the bedroom and got her little purse. She … [Read more...]

How much do you make a year? What is your salary? Now, let me ask you this: When you thought of that answer, did you include your health insurance benefits? Your accident-life insurance? Your car allowance? Your Social Security? Your pension fund contributions? How much do you make a year?   What is your salary?   Now, let me ask you this: When you thought of that answer, did you include your health insurance benefits? Your accident-life insurance? Your car allowance? Your Social Security? Your pension fund contributions?   Unless you are highly unusual, you did not include any of these benefits when you think in terms of how much you make each year.   So why are many churches insistent upon including these benefits when they say how much their ministers make?   A totally deceptive answer to how much a minister "makes" is what many churches call "total package." To come up with a "total package," a church lumps together basic salary, housing allowance or parsonage, car allowance, utilities (if they are furnished), health insurance, convention expenses, life insurance, accident insurance and any other item that can possibly be tied to the minister’s … [Read more...]

After all the hype and publicity and media interest, how much impact did "The Passion of The Christ" film by Mel Gibson actually have on viewers? Well, it depends on what kind of impact one was hoping the film would have. After all the hype and publicity and media interest, how much impact did "The Passion of The Christ" film by Mel Gibson actually have on viewers? Well, it depends on what kind of impact one was hoping the film would have. On the one hand, it was the eighth highest-grossing domestic film of all time. It was viewed in theaters by 31 percent of all American adults - including 31 million persons who were not born again. Two-thirds of those who viewed the film rated it as "excellent." And when ranked with other films, it caused more people to ponder their faith than any other release. But ... the impact many evangelical leaders were hoping for did not materialize, a recent Barna Research Group poll indicates. Indeed, just one out of every six viewers (16 percent) said the movie affected them to the point of leading them to change something they believed about the Christian faith. The most-common changes they cited were the perceived importance of how they treat other people, becoming more concerned … [Read more...]