Sounds of "Amazing Grace" filled the French Quarter air as the poor and homeless met for worship under the oaks of Jackson Square in New Orleans. Sounds of "Amazing Grace" filled the French Quarter air as the poor and homeless met for worship under the oaks of Jackson Square in New Orleans.   It is a scene that has been repeated every Sunday since late February when members of Edgewater Baptist Church in the city began offering worship services and breakfast in the Quarter.   The weekly gathering is called "Church in the Square."   "Our purpose is to bring the gospel down into the city, ... to love on people and to minister to the homeless," says Nick Taylor, an Edgewater member and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary student. "We bring food for their souls, ... spiritual food, ... and food for the bodies."   On most Sundays, Taylor preaches a short sermon. When he is not available, Barry "Hoot" Busby, another Edgewater member and seminary student, takes his place. The preaching is always biblical. After a short time of worship with singing and preaching, the group shares a warm meal with those who attend.   Even at 8:15 a.m. on a Sunday morning, the French … [Read more...]

With a record $136.2 million for the 2003 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, trustees of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board recently approved a plan to expand the agency’s budget for specific overseas needs. With a record $136.2 million for the 2003 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, trustees of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board recently approved a plan to expand the agency’s budget for specific overseas needs.   The board also clarified their policy on non-Southern Baptists participating in board projects during their recent meeting.   The 18.4 percent increase in the Lottie Moon offering shows that more Southern Baptists are understanding the staggering lostness of the world, but they have only begun to tackle the challenge, trustee Chair Tom Hatley of Rogers, Ark., said.   "The success of the Lottie Moon offering last year ... is not a laurel upon which we can rest," he said. "We still have many hundreds of people in the pipeline, awaiting their turn for appointment. ... If they will go, we must find a way to send them."   Responding to the record offering, trustees voted to expand the agency budget by $3.2 million.   Of that amount, … [Read more...]

Any church or individual that gives a church directory to a particular political campaign without charging "fair market value" could be violating federal regulations, Internal Revenue Service officials have warned. Any church or individual that gives a church directory to a particular political campaign without charging "fair market value" could be violating federal regulations, Internal Revenue Service officials have warned.   And if a church repeatedly provides its registry free of charge to a campaign, it runs the risk of losing its tax exemptions.   The issue of church directories and campaigns was raised when the President George Bush reelection campaign sent an instruction sheet to volunteers titled "Coalition Coordinator Duties." Among other things, the sheet asked persons to send one’s church directory to state campaign headquarters.   However, IRS regulations forbid nonprofit organizations - such as churches -from giving a mailing list to a partisan political campaign unless the campaign pays for it. A church directory falls within the category of a "mailing list."   At the same time, churches may sell membership rolls to campaigns as long as they are priced at … [Read more...]

Earlier this year, Cherry Grove Baptist Church pastor Ron Butler issued a challenge to Mike Cooley - fill a chip trailer with bikes and donate them to the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola. Earlier this year, Cherry Grove Baptist Church pastor Ron Butler issued a challenge to Mike Cooley - fill a chip trailer with bikes and donate them to the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola.   Cooley already had planned to gather a flatbed trailer full of bicycles. However, Butler called on him to think bigger.   "The pastor came back from a conference he attended and said he bet I couldn’t do it," says Cooley, youth director at the Dry Creek church. "I told him that I could and that I accept the challenge."   However, Cooley underestimated the scope of the project.   "At first, I was thinking we’d take 35-40 bikes in the trailer," he recalls. "But the results surprised me."   The entire congregation - led by the youth group - distributed fliers advertising their project to local businesses, sawmills and churches in May.   By the middle of June, the community had donated 7,000 pounds of bikes, that Butler estimates was close to 400 … [Read more...]

I picked up last week’s Baptist Message expecting to read several articles concerning the marriage amendment. Taking back America   I picked up last week’s Baptist Message expecting to read several articles concerning the marriage amendment.   Instead, I found no articles on this issue but found an article basically bashing the one who had called for a constitutional amendment to protect marriage in the USA. The article stated that many pastors are upset with (President George) Bush.   I could not help but wonder what these pastors and their churches will do on election day - vote for a candidate and party who supports gay marriage, abortion, gambling, and cloning of human embryos???   If this is true, it is no wonder that we are debating in this country the true definition of marriage. Christians in this country have become apathetic and complacent and many of them don't even vote anymore. If churches do not rally their troops we are going to lose our religious freedoms that we so thankfully enjoy!   Our church has already set up a "voter registration" booth in our church and you can count on our social and moral committee to set up telephone banks, etc. prior … [Read more...]

We have recently learned that the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) will send a fact-finding team to the Louisiana College campus on September 1-3. The purpose of the visit is to review matters of governance and academic freedom. We have recently learned that the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) will send a fact-finding team to the Louisiana College campus on September 1-3. The purpose of the visit is to review matters of governance and academic freedom.   Dr. Bill Hudson, the newly-elected chair of the Louisiana College board of trustees, has indicated - and we agree - that the college will comply with the recommendations of the fact-finding team.   Louisiana College is widely known for quality in higher education. Louisiana College is the only college in Louisiana - and one of only 20 colleges nationwide - listed in both "America’s Best Christian Colleges" and "America’s 100 Best College Buys."   The academic program at Louisiana College remains strong, and students can depend on the same personal attention, academic excellence, and caring atmosphere that has always characterized the college. We are eager to begin a new … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptists owe a debt of gratitude to Joe Nesom for his service as chair of the board of trustees of Louisiana College. A committed inerrantist, Joe worked faithfully and tirelessly for the cause of inerrancy at LC in the hope of seeing it become a more biblically-based, theologically conservative institution. Louisiana Baptists owe a debt of gratitude to Joe Nesom for his service as chair of the board of trustees of Louisiana College. A committed inerrantist, Joe worked faithfully and tirelessly for the cause of inerrancy at LC in the hope of seeing it become a more biblically-based, theologically conservative institution.   Several substantive and positive changes were enacted under his leadership, all which made LC a better college. But he was "rewarded" by fellow inerrantists with a recently-called board meeting designed specifically to remove him from his position as chair two months before his term expired.   The willingness to take such action signals a sad day and a spirit that neither conforms to the Bible nor is likely to be attended by the blessing of God.   When a cause ceases to be driven by biblical truth and begins to be driven by personal agendas (or even … [Read more...]

Thank you for the report of the July 19 Louisiana College trustee meeting and summary of the urgent issues facing our college. The forthcoming Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) visit is good news. I hope there is a way to convey to the SACS team that many Louisiana Baptists who support the college have grave concerns about decisions being made by the trustee board, such as actions that compromise academic self-governance. Thank you for the report of the July 19 Louisiana College trustee meeting and summary of the urgent issues facing our college. The forthcoming Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) visit is good news. I hope there is a way to convey to the SACS team that many Louisiana Baptists who support the college have grave concerns about decisions being made by the trustee board, such as actions that compromise academic self-governance.   Perhaps the Baptist Message has offered us a means to speak out about the control of Louisiana College by an interest group - a group of 18 trustees using divisive tactics to call meetings and carry on business behind closed doors.   Jean Lively Pineville, La. … [Read more...]

Re: "LC trustees hold special session, elect new chair," July 15, 2004, LBM Re: "LC trustees hold special session, elect new chair," July 15, 2004, LBM   We claim we’re trying to reach out to the lost world and explain how God loves us all and wants to be inclusive and "draw all men unto himself." But when we read how our "Baptist leaders" won’t let anyone be present when they conduct the business of our beloved college, we’ve demonstrated a degree of exclusiveness that defies explanation.   If 16 members of the board of trustees can decide we don’t want anyone outside our circle of members to know what goes on in our meetings, then, Louisiana College no longer belongs to the Baptists of Louisiana.   Some of our trustees don’t seem to understand that "trust" is a part of what their name implies, but how can there be any trust among us with all this secrecy in governance. Satan’s having a "field day" as we continue to find ways to divide the "body of Christ."   Joe Richardson Homer, LA … [Read more...]

For the week of June 3, 2004 Louisiana search   Five more pastors have been named to the search committee for a new Louisiana Baptist Convention executive director. Established procedure states that the LBC Executive Board administrative subcommittee shall serve as the body to nominate a new executive director. That subcommittee recently became active when LBC Executive Director Dean Doster announced plans to retire from his post, effective January 31, 2005. Established procedure also allows the Executive Board chair to appoint persons to the search committee. Following that process, LBC Executive Board President Roy Davis has named five persons to join the committee, including himself. Davis is pastor at North Shreve Baptist Church in Shreveport. In addition to himself, Davis appointed:   • Philip Robertson, pastor at Philadelphia Baptist Church in Deville and current state convention president.   • George Bannister, pastor at First Baptist Church of Scott and current first vice president of the state convention.   • Bill Ascol, pastor at Heritage Baptist Church in Shreveport and current vice president of the LBC Executive Board.   • Don Denton, pastor at … [Read more...]