For the week of May 20, 2004 Baptist Message officers   Louisiana Baptist Message trustees elected officers for the new year during their scheduled meeting last week. All three were elected by acclamation. They are: Chair Larry Thompson, pastor at First Baptist Church of Westlake; Vice Chair Naida Sexton, a member at Trinity Heights Baptist Church in Shreveport; and Secretary-Treasurer Don Rudd, pastor at Quitman Baptist Church in Quitman.   No to vouchers   There will be no expansion of the small school voucher plan run by the Louisiana government. Members of the state Senate Education Committee recently voted no to any expansion. It was the second straight year the committee has denied the efforts by New Orleans Catholics to expand the program. The state currently operates a small program, providing state-paid, private preschool tuition to about 1,500 students from disadvantaged families. Opponents of the expansion bid said it would siphon needed money from the public school system. The measure to expand the program fell on a 3-3 vote when the committee chair declined to vote. A measure must receive a majority vote to proceed for debate on the full Senate floor.   Drug … [Read more...]

The phrase "a picture is worth a thou-sand words" certainly can be said for First Baptist Church of Florien’s missions picture collage. The phrase "a picture is worth a thou-sand words" certainly can be said for First Baptist Church of Florien’s missions picture collage.   "It acts as a stimulant to encourage others to do missions," Pastor Bobby Franklin says of the two-sided, 4 foot-by-4 foot board filled with photographs from church members’ missions trips.   Eighteen states and 12 foreign missions trips are represented on the board. Past trips include efforts in New Mexico, Washington, D.C., Colorado, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Ukraine and Russia.   The idea originated earlier this year.   Franklin says the church originally planned to post names of military personnel serving overseas. However, when church member Claire Thompson proposed the idea of placing pictures of past missions trips on the board, the missions collage was born.   After collecting pictures from various church members, Thompson says she improved the "look" of the older pictures with a photo editing computer program.   The entire process took four months.   "I have no … [Read more...]

Back in the mid-1980s, Joe Salter really never had considered entering the world of politics - his chosen field was education. Indeed, Salter had spent some 33 years in the world of elementary and secondary education. Back in the mid-1980s, Joe Salter really never had considered entering the world of politics - his chosen field was education.   Indeed, Salter had spent some 33 years in the world of elementary and secondary education.   Then, some good friends gave him a call.   The area state representative was leaving his seat. Would Salter be interested in running for it, they wanted to know.   Thinking about it, Salter realized he may be. He asked for time to pray about it and to talk to his family.   One of those he talked to was his mother-in-law, who offered some succinct - and pointed - advice.   "I think you need to do it because I’ve always heard a honest man can’t get elected, and if he does, he can’t stay that way," she told Salter.   "I’d like to see you do it in order to prove that wrong."   In the end, Salter took up the challenge.   Now, 18 years and several additional elections later, by the testimony of … [Read more...]

Lynn P. Clayton announced last week he plans to retire as editor of the Louisiana Baptist Message at the end of 2005. "No one could have enjoyed a job more than I have enjoyed being editor of the Baptist Message, ..." Clayton said in a letter presented last week during the scheduled meeting of newspaper trustees. Lynn P. Clayton announced last week he plans to retire as editor of the Louisiana Baptist Message at the end of 2005. "No one could have enjoyed a job more than I have enjoyed being editor of the Baptist Message, ..." Clayton said in a letter presented last week during the scheduled meeting of newspaper trustees. "But ... the time has come for Louisiana Baptists to hear a different voice on the editorial page of their Baptist Message and read of a newer dream for the ministry of the paper." By the time Clayton retires, he will have reached the age of 65 and will have served more than 27 years as editor of the Baptist state newspaper. "We regret to receive this retirement announcement," said Nathan Luce, chair of the Louisiana Baptist Message trustees and pastor at Broussard Grove Baptist Church in Prairieville. "Lynn P. Clayton has served Louisiana Baptists extremely well for more than 25 years and has … [Read more...]

As Rory Lee relocates to his native Mississippi, he will carry a favorite memory from his time as president of Louisiana College. As Rory Lee relocates to his native Mississippi, he will carry a favorite memory from his time as president of Louisiana College.   It occurred after Lee had been at the school a few years. Enrollment was climbing to new highs. The campus environment had been changed, had become more vibrant as the number of residential students rose.   But here was Lee, returning to his office following a chapel service, only to find a female upperclassman student waiting for him, crying.   Lee sought to learn the cause for her tears.   "Her response was, ‘I had to stand in line at the cafeteria,’" Lee recalls. "And I didn’t know how to respond to what she said. Then, after she got her composure, she said: ‘I’ve been here three years, and I haven’t had to stand in line. And it bothered me that this was where I chose to be and that others were not choosing Louisiana College.   " ‘Now, others are choosing to come to school here. It makes me know my choice was right.’"   It is easy to see why Lee chooses such a memory.   When Lee was … [Read more...]

The article, "NOBTS trustees address ‘sole membership’ issue" (Louisiana Baptist Message, April 29, 2004) brought back many memories with these words and phrases The article, "NOBTS trustees address ‘sole membership’ issue" (Louisiana Baptist Message, April 29, 2004) brought back many memories with these words and phrases - "lamentation, frustration, broken assurances, picked up a lot of heat, spoken to very plainly, no real openness to listen to the other side, expose the seminary to further attack, violation of convention bylaws, adversarial, confrontational, misinformation campaign, negative spin, situation will not be friendly."   Many readers of the Baptist Message have been there before. I have some advice for Dr. Kelley and the trustees. You hold the moral high ground. The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee cannot force you to abdicate your responsibilities as caretakers of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. You are in control of the situation, as is your rightful responsibility. Some people do not negotiate; they only win. If you cannot be as confrontational and adversarial as they, you will lose.   Do not, under any circumstances, let your case be taken to the … [Read more...]

Churches, conventions and Christians are in deep financial trouble and facing a bleak future if church leaders do not actively engage cultural shifts and the perils of consumerism, speakers at a national conference recently warned. Churches, conventions and Christians are in deep financial trouble and facing a bleak future if church leaders do not actively engage cultural shifts and the perils of consumerism, speakers at a national conference recently warned.   "We are in bad trouble in the churches - (and) we won’t be out of it in your lifetime or mine," cautioned Loren Mead, founder of the Alban Institute and author of "Financial Meltdown in the Mainline."   Churches increasingly are dependent on a donor base that is getting both older and smaller, while younger adults are racking up more personal debt and giving less to the church, Mead explained during a recent conference sponsored by the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina.   Funding efforts tend to be erratic and short term, focused on survival or breaking even, Mead said.   "A lot of churches don’t know how to do anything else, and when the church is focused on survival, there is less energy for mission," he … [Read more...]

When pastors decide on a Bible to use, what translation are they most likely to choose? A new survey indicates they are most likely to opt for either the New International Version or the King James Version. When pastors decide on a Bible to use, what translation are they most likely to choose?   A new survey indicates they are most likely to opt for either the New International Version or the King James Version.   At the same time, among different denominations, there is little consensus.   Southern Baptist pastors are split evenly between the New International Version, King James Version, New King James Version and the New American Standard Bible.   Methodists prefer the New International and New Revised Standard versions.   A plurality of Lutheran ministers choose the New Revised Standard Version.   And close to half of Pentecostal pastors favor the King James Version.   The study of 700 pastors was conducted by Ellison Research for Facts & Trends, a publication of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.   "The (New International), King James, New King James, New American Standard and New Revised … [Read more...]

The lamp must be something special; it costs a hundred bucks plus shipping and handling. You likely have seen them advertised in various magazines. The lamp has a rather tall rod coming from a heavy base that sits on the floor. The lamp must be something special; it costs a hundred bucks plus shipping and handling. You likely have seen them advertised in various magazines. The lamp has a rather tall rod coming from a heavy base that sits on the floor. From the top of the rod protrudes a flexible section that holds a hood sort of thing. The hood holds some little tube lights that are touted as producing a wonderful color of light that is just like being outside. That’s what you get for a hundred bucks plus shipping and handling.   The instructions that come with the lamp say the lightbulbs will last 5,000 hours. That is good to know. It means you can turn the lamp on and leave it and enjoy 208 days and some 33 minutes of continuous light.   Or, you can enjoy the light for ten hours on 500 different days. That’s ten hours a day for one year and 135 days. Or, for five hours a day for two years and 270 days or about nine months, whichever way turns you on. Or, you could turn it on 40 hours a week … [Read more...]

For the week of May 27, 2004 New Orleans news   Louisiana Baptist Pastor Joe McKeever has accepted a position as director of missions for the Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans. McKeever, 64, previously served as pastor at First Baptist Church of Kenner in the New Orleans area. He resigned that post in April and began work this month as director of missions for the area association. "The committee has asked me to stay with the position for five years," McKeever reported. "I suppose I should be complimented that at the age of 69 they think I’ll still have something to contribute. So, I’m starting a new career just when most of my friends are winding theirs down - learning a new job, trying to grow new wood." McKeever came to his Kenner church in 1990. He is the first associational director of missions to be elected under a new structure that goes in effect statewide in 2005. Under the plan, local associations will choose and fund their own directors of missions. Previously, they were funded by the state convention.   Response to terror   Spanish evangelicals are feeling an increased urgency for evangelism in the aftermath of terror attacks that killed almost 200 people on … [Read more...]