By David Jeremiah, Pastor of Shadow Mountain Community Church Just as a frame of reference for this article, let’s step back from the American cultural forest and identify four distinct varieties of trees that have grown up in post-World War II America: Baby Boomers: born from the mid-1940s to mid-1960s; grew up in a prosperous post-war society; sometimes referred to as the “Me” Generation. Generation X: children of the Baby Boomers, born from the early 1960s to the late 1970s; raised in post-Vietnam, unsettled society; looking to find their way. Generation Y: born from mid-1970s to early 2000s; raised in the early days of the digital-technology revolution; sometimes referred to as the “Millennials.” Generation Z: born from early 1990s to late 2000s; raised with digital tools and toys; live a wholly connected lifestyle that transcends geography; digital information explosion has created awareness of and participation in causes at the local, national and international levels.   … [Read more...]

By Erich Bridges, IMB Global Correspondent I had to sympathize with rock singer Bono when he discovered he was uncool. Uncool? The frontman for supergroup U2, one of the biggest bands in the world? The activist who travels the globe and meets with kings and presidents? The guy so hip he probably wears his trademark designer shades in the shower? Yep. Uncool. He learned the hard truth a few years ago from his teenage daughters. First off, to teenage daughters a dad is uncool by definition, especially if he’s pushing 50 (Bono was 48 at the time). But they were particularly mortified when he droned on and on about global issues while some other celebs were visiting their home. Bono overheard one daughter telling the other, “He’s probably boring their [pants] off talking about Africa.” Actually, he admitted, “I probably was.” The horror. I can relate. In truth, I’ve been uncool so long that I no longer know (or care) what is cool. I haven’t even heard the bands that were topping the charts 10 years ago, much less the ones with the most iTunes downloads now. On the plus side, there’s liberation in being terminally uncool. You don’t have to watch trends anxiously and waste a lot of time and money trying to keep up with fads. … [Read more...]

By Jeff Iorg, President of Golden Gate Seminary Donald Sterling, owner of the National Basketball League’s Los Angeles Clippers, was recently banned from the NBA for making racist comments to his mistress. This action by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has been widely applauded in popular media. I work in a pluralistic, multi-ethnic environment (we have been called the most multicultural seminary in the world), so I have followed the whole episode with considerable interest. While Sterling’s racism is offensive and deserves condemnation, the overall public response has intrigued me – particularly with respect to three issues. First, Sterling made his comments to his girlfriend – while he is still married. While his racism was rightly condemned as immoral, I have yet to hear media leaders condemn Sterling for his open, arrogant adultery. One radio commentator, when asked about this issue, opined “all rich men have mistresses so that’s really not an issue.” Apparently, adultery is acceptable – just as long as you are not a racist adulterer. Second, Sterling’s comments resulted in his being banned from owning a business. Sounds good on the surface, but is that really a position you support? During the Civil Rights Movement, … [Read more...]

To The Editor Like most Louisiana Baptists, I have followed the recent events at Louisiana College with much concern and a certain degree of embarrassment. I had not intended to enter the ‘fray,’ but feel compelled to respond to the May 8 issue of The Baptist Message. The priesthood of the believer is basic to Baptist belief and tradition.  If a brother differs on a doctrinal position, we disagree ‘agreeably’ and continue to fellowship and work together. I read with disbelief and sadness that Pastor Jay Adkins listed as one of his reasons in calling for Dr. Hankins’ resignation is the fact that Dr. Hankins holds a different view of Calvinism than does Adkins. I am very concerned that someone would call for a resignation because of a difference in doctrinal position.  This is in direct opposition to Baptist belief and practice. As to the other two points accusing Dr. Hankins of undue influence on the LC Trustees and behind the scenes manipulation, I offer testimony from my own personal experience. I served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home from January 2008 to December 2013.  The last two years I served as Vice-President and President, respectively. To the best of my recollection, … [Read more...]

By David Roach, Chief National Correspondent for Baptist Press According to a recent newspaper report, only 8 percent of British men attend church regularly, though 53 percent identify themselves as Christians. And the situation is similar in other Western nations, with more than 40 percent of U.S. evangelicals not attending church weekly and more than 60 percent of American mainline Christians not attending weekly, according to Pew data. In short, millions who consider themselves Christians limit their church attendance largely to holidays, weddings and funerals. If you’re among these millions, please give church another chance. By getting involved, you’ll discover that what you once viewed as a chore is actually a blessing. Here are 10 reasons why: 1. Church involvement is evidence that you’re a Christian in the first place. It also helps keep you from abandoning the faith. According to the author of Hebrews, the antidote to developing an “unbelieving heart” that leads you “to fall away from the living God” is to “exhort one another” (Hebrews 3:12-13) – an activity that occurs most prominently in the church. 2. Gathering with a church encourages believers to love others and do good deeds (Hebrews 10:24-25). 3. A church is … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 05/19/2014 - 10:20 SBC President Fred Luter By Staff, Baptist Message NEW ORLEANS – It was called ‘the most significant event to happen at the time in the history of the Southern Baptist Convention’s history by Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary president Daniel L. Akin. On June 19, the Southern Baptist Convention, in a historic vote, elected Fred J. Luter Jr., senior pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans as the convention’s first African-American president by acclamation. He was unopposed and received a lengthy standing ovation from the more than 8,000 messengers who crammed into the Earnest P. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans as recording secretary John Yeats cast the convention’s official ballot. “It is my high honor to cast this historic ballot of the convention for Dr. Fred Luter as president of the Southern Baptist Convention,” Yeats said. Nominated by close friend David Crosby, pastor of First Baptist Church, New Orleans, Luter succeeded Bryant Wright of Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia. Now, almost two years later, Luter is just weeks away from completing his term as president but he is still busy trying to accommodate requests … [Read more...]

By Philip Timothy, Managing Editor WOODWORTH – First, they tackled the agenda and then the questions. At its annual spring meeting on May 6 at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center, the Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board dealt with a number of agenda items which dealt with reports from board committees and LBC entities to responding to a pair of motions made at last year’s 2013 annual meeting. Randy Johnson, chairman of the Administrative Committee, led off the reports to the board by giving  the committee’s response to two motions made by Lewis Richerson, messenger, Woodlawn Baptist Church, Baton Rouge and Jay Adkins, messenger, First Westwego, during the 2013 annual meeting in Alexandria. In his motion, Adkins contended the LBC was in direct violation of its own charter and bylaws by allowing its executive director, a ‘salaried employee’ to serve as a voting member on any of the convention’s four boards of trustees. Richerson’s motion addressed changes regarding voting privileges the Executive Director currently has on the boards. Regarding  Richerson’s motion, Johnson said the committee gave this summation, “The role of the Executive Director as a voting member of the Convention committees, the Executive Board, … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 05/19/2014 - 10:27 Fifty eight people representing 14 churches – seven of which were Louisiana Baptist – participated in a noontime prayer walk around the city of Many on May 1. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer DEVILLE – In a day when God is being removed more and more from American public life, Ricky Belgard believes Christians unifying to proclaim they are one nation under God is more important than ever. “Tonight we are unifed together with one voice, united in prayer to the Lord our God,” said Belgard, prayer minister at Philadelphia Baptist. “We do not come to lift up a church or a denomination, not pastors or people. We come to lift up the hope of the nation, we come to lift up the hope of our homes, we come to lift up the only hope that can bring you peace. His name is Jesus. Amen.” Belgard was one of nearly 20 ministers of different denominations who came together for a National Day of Prayer event at Philadelphia Baptist on May 1. Attended by around 200 people, the special nighttime service included music, recitation of the pledge of allegiance, presentation of colors by the Youth Challenge Color Guard and prayers for various segments of the country, including families, … [Read more...]

By Jerry Love, LBF Communications ALEXANDRIA – The Trustees of the Louisiana Baptist Foundation (LBF) met on April 29 for their regularly scheduled quarterly board meeting at the Louisiana Baptist Building in Alexandria. In what proved to be a quiet meeting, the Investment and Operating Committees met during the morning hours. During the investment committee meeting, reports were heard from the staff on the returns of the assets under the management of the Foundation. Barbara Bell, Controller/CPA, along with Executive Director Wayne Taylor reviewed the returns for the first quarter of 2014. After a somewhat rocky start for the investment markets early 2014, the LBF funds are reflecting positive returns thus far.  The year-to-date returns are as follows: Short Term Fund:  0.42%  Annualized Yield Fixed Income Fund:  1.43% Total Return Equity Fund:  0.24% Total Return Group Investment Fund:  1.45% Total Return During the discussion Bell mentioned the recent practice of direct purchase of bank certificates of deposit by the Foundation to enhance the performance of the Short Term Fund. In addition to the assets managed by institutional investment managers, the accounting staff has purchased 72 CD’s, (approximately $15 … [Read more...]