Last week’s column was a word to sermon listeners. This week’s is for sermon presenters. As did last week’s column, this one draws from Peggy Noonan’s book, On Speaking Well (Harper Collins, 1997). Ms. Noonan is one of the most noted recent   presidential speechwriters who in this book shares from her expertise in crafting speeches for Ronald Reagan, among others. Last week’s column was a word to sermon listeners. This week’s is for sermon presenters. As did last week’s column, this one draws from Peggy Noonan’s book, On Speaking Well (Harper Collins, 1997). Ms. Noonan is one of the most noted recent   presidential speechwriters who in this book shares from her expertise in crafting speeches for Ronald Reagan, among others.   Her first "preliminary" is titled, "No Speech Should Last More than Twenty Minutes." In answering "Why?" she refers to Ronald Reagan who said no one wants to sit in an audience in respectful silence for longer than that, if that!   "He also knew twenty minutes is more than enough time to say the biggest, most important thing in the world. The Gettysburg Address went three minutes or so, the Sermon on the Mount hardly more. It is usually and … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptist Convention messengers elected a trio of state officers last week by acclamation, with nominees endorsed by the Louisiana Inerrancy Fellowship sweeping the offices.   Messengers granted sitting President Steve James a second term as state convention leader without opposition. James is pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles. Louisiana Baptist Convention messengers elected a trio of state officers last week by acclamation, with nominees endorsed by the Louisiana Inerrancy Fellowship sweeping the offices.   Messengers granted sitting President Steve James a second term as state convention leader without opposition. James is pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles.   James was nominated by Ken Fryer, associate pastor at Broussard Grove Baptist Church in Prairieville.   Fryer told convention messengers at last week’s annual meeting that James "has served us well, working diligently to promote a spirit of unity among all Louisiana Baptists."   He noted James is unapologetically committed to inerrancy and to cooperative missions. Fryer also praised the state convention leader’s commitment to evangelism and to ministering to other … [Read more...]

God has blessed Louisiana Baptists - and they must be careful to guard that which has been committed to their trust, Steve James stressed last week.   "Choose not to lose the blessings of God," James urged persons during the annual president’s address at last week’s Louisiana Baptist Convention in Bossier City. God has blessed Louisiana Baptists - and they must be careful to guard that which has been committed to their trust, Steve James stressed last week.   "Choose not to lose the blessings of God," James urged persons during the annual president’s address at last week’s Louisiana Baptist Convention in Bossier City.   Too many times, Christians and churches fail to guard what they have received - and the power and presence of God is on them but for a season, said James, state convention president and pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles.   However, it does not have to happen that way - if Louisiana Baptists will understand four keys, James said.   One, there must be a commitment to the Scriptures, he emphasized.   "The Word is the gospel, ..." James stressed. "The main responsibility of every New Testament church in the convention ... … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptist Convention agencies announced steps - intentions, in one case - to tie themselves closer to the state denomination last week.   Leaders of Louisiana College, the Louisiana Baptist Message, the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and the Baptist Retirement Center all informed convention messengers of actions to ensure that their agencies will remain tied to Louisiana Baptists. Louisiana Baptist Convention agencies announced steps - intentions, in one case - to tie themselves closer to the state denomination last week.   Leaders of Louisiana College, the Louisiana Baptist Message, the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and the Baptist Retirement Center all informed convention messengers of actions to ensure that their agencies will remain tied to Louisiana Baptists.   Concerns about that arose after agencies in several other states had acted to sever ties from their state convention and move to self-perpetuating boards.   In response, the Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board appointed a study committee to examine the charters of denominational agencies and determine what - if anything - needed to be done to ensure the same scenario did not occur in … [Read more...]

After months of discussion, Louisiana Baptists finally adopted a new system for employing and administering associational directors of missions.   Messengers to last week’s annual Louisiana Baptist Convention voted 592 (50.8 percent) to 573 (49.2 percent) in favor of a revamped director of missions structure. After months of discussion, Louisiana Baptists finally adopted a new system for employing and administering associational directors of missions.   Messengers to last week’s annual Louisiana Baptist Convention voted 592 (50.8 percent) to 573 (49.2 percent) in favor of a revamped director of missions structure.   The approved change replaces a structure that had been used for more than four decades. As the previous process worked out, local directors of missions have been employed and administered by the state convention - working in consultation with associations - for a number of years.   The previous structure allowed associations to choose from three options - to employ and administer their own director of missions, to enter into a contract by which the state convention employed and administered a director or to work out an agreement in which the association … [Read more...]

This year, the fourth time was the charm for those Louisiana Baptists seeking to affirm the Bible and the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message.   After unsuccessful tries in recent years, messengers to last week’s annual state convention voted to add the Baptist Faith and Message to convention bylaws and to affirm the inerrancy of Scripture in the denominational constitution. This year, the fourth time was the charm for those Louisiana Baptists seeking to affirm the Bible and the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message.   After unsuccessful tries in recent years, messengers to last week’s annual state convention voted to add the Baptist Faith and Message to convention bylaws and to affirm the inerrancy of Scripture in the denominational constitution.   Both actions were approved by two-thirds majority votes - but not without debate.   The pair of recommendations were presented by the LBC Executive Board. Messengers considered addition of the Baptist Faith and Message to state bylaws first.   Carlton Winbery spoke against the motion. He said he always has been taught that not only was a Christian to seek all existing help and materials in interpreting Scripture but also was to … [Read more...]

For the week of November 21, 2002 Potpourri • FERRIDAY - Community church: Gospel concert; Nov. 23, 7 p.m.; Karl Wilson, pastor.   • GRETNA - First church: Louisiana Sonlight in concert; Dec. 1, 10:45 a.m.; Kenneth Duke Sr., pastor.   • BAKER - First church: Glory House Singers in concert; Dec. 1, 10:30 a.m.; Jim Bain, interim pastor.   • MONTGOMERY - First church: The Needhams in concert; Dec. 1, 6 p.m.; Don Smith Jr., pastor. Christmas Programs • SCOTT - First church: Live nativity; Dec. 1, 6-8 p.m.; George B. Bannister, pastor.   • WEST MONROE - McClendon church: "When Love Came Down" musical; Dec. 1, 6 p.m.; Janis Knight, music director; Rick Crandall, pastor. Ordinations • TULLOS - First church: Brain Rankin to the gospel ministry; George Treutlein, pastor.   • ST. FRANCISVILLE - First church: Pete Easterly, Claude Mount and Scotty Owens to deacon ministry; Joe Ratcliff, pastor.   • BATON ROUGE - First church: Jonas deBarros, Jeff Harris, J. C. Ligon, Cleatus "Red" Jenkins and Hank Yarbrough to deacon ministry; Burn Page, pastor. Ministers Needed • JENNINGS - First church: Full-time minister of music; send resumes to: First Baptist Church, … [Read more...]

Chevrolet’s national sponsorship of a Christian music tour has sparked controversy, with some saying the mix of corporate and Christian interests is inappropriate.   This month’s "Come Together and Worship" features three well-known names in evangelical Christian circles, musicians Third Day and Michael W. Smith and author Max Lucado. Chevrolet’s national sponsorship of a Christian music tour has sparked controversy, with some saying the mix of corporate and Christian interests is inappropriate.   This month’s "Come Together and Worship" features three well-known names in evangelical Christian circles, musicians Third Day and Michael W. Smith and author Max Lucado.   Although black gospel music tours have had secular corporate sponsors, "Come Together" marks a new phase in support of the predominantly-white contemporary Christian music industry, said Frank Breeden, president of the Gospel Music Association.   "That’s a breakthrough for us," he said. "It helps for corporate America to know that the faith-based community of this nation is a marketplace to which they can respond."   However, the American Humanist Association would prefer more distance between … [Read more...]

Where is the reality in so-called reality television shows?   And, what is with these people who will submit themselves to almost any kind of humiliation and degradation? Where do they find these people? Not in any reality I know, and what the principals go through is certainly not real life. Where is the reality in so-called reality television shows?   And, what is with these people who will submit themselves to almost any kind of humiliation and degradation? Where do they find these people? Not in any reality I know, and what the principals go through is certainly not real life.   During this week alone, while watching minimal television, I saw a relatively sane-looking woman walk through a sewer drainage system filled with rats. Oh, sure. My wife and I were walking through a drainage system filled with rats on the way to church the other night. Folks cannot get anywhere without walking through tunnels like that.   So, why did she? Because she has a phobia of rats and the producers of some show offered her a round-trip ticket to somewhere or something if she would do it. She had to walk through multitudes of rats and pick up two and place them in a box. Something every … [Read more...]

For the week of November 28, 2002 Best colleges Forty-five members of the Association of Southern Baptist Colleges and Schools have been listed among the nation’s best in the 2003 annual survey by U.S. News and World Report. Louisiana College was among those included in the list. It was listed 20th in the South among Best Comprehensive Colleges - Bachelor’s Degrees. Two Association of Southern Baptist Colleges and Schools also were ranked in the top 10 of schools with the highest graduation rates. U.S. News & World Report studied more than 1,400 institutions scattered across the United States. The rankings were determined by analyzing data gathered in seven categories of information - peer assessment; graduation and retention rates; faculty resources; student selectivity; financial resources; and alumni giving. Most influential pastor Southern Baptist pastor Rick Warren appears on the cover of the Nov. 18 issue of Christianity Today, above a headline stating he may be the most influential pastor in the country. The magazine’s seven-page spread cites the influence of Warren’s "Purpose Driven" model, one that is used in churches around the globe. Warren has trained about 180,000 pastors through his "Purpose … [Read more...]