In the wake of reported anti-Muslim attacks on Americans of Middle Eastern descent, New Orleans pastor Ken Taylor extended Christian love to area Muslims by personally delivering a card that expressed his heartbreak. In the wake of reported anti-Muslim attacks on Americans of Middle Eastern descent, New Orleans pastor Ken Taylor extended Christian love to area Muslims by personally delivering a card that expressed his heartbreak.   "Dear Muslim Friend: I know that you, along with almost everybody in the world, were horrified by the tragedies of Sept. 11," began the letter from Taylor, pastor at Elysian Fields Avenue Baptist Church and associate professor of urban missions at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.   "I believe I speak for the vast majority of Christians who, as followers of Jesus Christ, want to let you know that we are praying for you. We are heartbroken that some, reacting to the evil actions of these past days, are showing intolerance and bigotry toward those of the Muslim faith.   "These actions toward Muslims are contrary to the teaching of Jesus. Jesus told his followers, in a message that applies very much to our present times: ‘A new command I give you: … [Read more...]

For the week of October 4, 2001 Potpourri •DRY CREEK - Dry Creek camp: fall couples’ retreat; Oct. 26-27; Marvin Douglass, speaker; cost is $60/couple or $45/couple if commuting; to register or for information, call the camp at (337) 328-7531; Curt Iles, camp manager.   •HAMMOND - First church: Louisiana Church Building Conference; Oct. 9, 8 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.; registration fee is $10 (includes lunch); for information, contact the Church Architecture Department at LBC, 1-800-622-6549 or (318) 448-3402; Matthew D. Wohlfarth, pastor.   •HODGE - Hodge church: Jackson Association annual meeting; Oct. 8, 6:30 p.m.; Elvin Wheelis, speaker; fellowship to follow; Dwayne Boudreaux, pastor.   •KROTZ SPRINGS - First church: Atchafalaya Association annual meeting; Oct. 14, 3 p.m; Gerald Roberts, pastor.   •LAKE CHARLES - Boulevard church: Sandi Lewis in concert; Oct. 14, 6 p.m.; Mark Stagg, pastor.   •LAKE CHARLES - Boulevard church: Carey Association annual meeting; Oct. 18, 6:15 p.m.; Mark Stagg, pastor.   •MONROE - Highland Park church: Northeast Association annual meeting; Oct. 15, 7 p.m.; Mike McLaurin, pastor.   •NEW IBERIA - Highland church: … [Read more...]

My friend grew up in humble circumstances. That is the politically correct way of saying, "We didn’t have a lot of money." His father worked hard; his mother worked hard. They just did not have a lot of money. He learned early if he wanted something, he would have to work hard to earn the money and buy it himself. And he did. My friend grew up in humble circumstances. That is the politically correct way of saying, "We didn’t have a lot of money." His father worked hard; his mother worked hard. They just did not have a lot of money. He learned early if he wanted something, he would have to work hard to earn the money and buy it himself. And he did.   He wanted a car. He knew his parents, although as generous as possible, would not be able to provide one. He went to work. He worked hard. He saved. He began to shop.   The dollars and cents added up to enough to buy a previously owned - no, really used - Ford Falcon. Remember the Ford Falcon? You will have to remember it, or see it in an antique car show, because Ford Motor Company ceased and desisted making them.   Falcons were generally stripped-down, economy models of a compact line. They certainly were not on the level of the … [Read more...]

For the first time in eight years, the Southern Baptist Cooperative Program failed to surpass the previous year’s total.   Giving through the Southern Baptist Convention giving plan reached $176,962,402 during the 2000-2001 fiscal year that closed September 30. That total represents the second-highest mark in history. For the first time in eight years, the Southern Baptist Cooperative Program failed to surpass the previous year’s total.   Giving through the Southern Baptist Convention giving plan reached $176,962,402 during the 2000-2001 fiscal year that closed September 30. That total represents the second-highest mark in history.   The final tally also surpasses the denomination’s budget by almost $9 million (5.3 percent).   However, the total falls about $1.3 million (0.8 percent) short of the total from the previous fiscal year. That showing comes after seven consecutive years in which receipts exceeded the previous year’s total.   Prior to 1991, the Cooperative Program had enjoyed 57 consecutive years of increased annual giving. However, receipts fell below the previous year’s total for three straight years (1991, 1992, 1993) before beginning the string of … [Read more...]

Only a handful of events can match the recent terrorist attacks in terms of the shock, outrage and grief they have produced in the American people. Only a handful of events can match the recent terrorist attacks in terms of the shock, outrage and grief they have produced in the American people.   The Public Agenda group has been analyzing surveys from all the major polling organizations since the attacks. Clearly, Americans’ grief is profound, and their resolve is real. For those reasons, policymakers should be careful when considering survey results on specific proposals. When 70 percent of those surveyed admit to weeping about the attacks, survey results must be seen in context - shaped by sorrow and anger.   Striking back: A massive 88 percent of Americans say the U.S. should take military action against those responsible - and yet, 73 percent of those favoring an attack also are willing to wait until specific culprits are identified.   At this point, none of the potential drawbacks seem to deter the public. Two-thirds or more favor military action even in the event of a lengthy conflict, a recession or new attacks.   The most recent CBS/New York Times poll found 68 … [Read more...]

The man was returning home from work on September 11, the day that terrorists attacked America. He stopped at a local convenience store on the way, only to find cars lined up five and six deep at each gas pump.   "What’s going on?" he asked the cashier. The man was returning home from work on September 11, the day that terrorists attacked America. He stopped at a local convenience store on the way, only to find cars lined up five and six deep at each gas pump.   "What’s going on?" he asked the cashier.   "Haven’t you heard?" the woman behind him responded. "Gas is going up at least $2 a gallon tomorrow. My friend’s son said the refineries already have been shut down. You better fill up now while you can afford it."   Have you heard? Nostradamus actually predicted the recent terrorist attack on the World Trade Centers more than four centuries ago.   A picture of the smoke curling out of the trade center buildings following the attack clearly show an image of satan.   The pictures of Palestinians celebrating the terrorist attacks actually were taken from old footage by CNN.   There is significance in the numbers related to the … [Read more...]

Had it not been for a Baptist Student Union in Louisiana, Bob Lee’s life might have been very much different. Had it not been for a Baptist Student Union in Louisiana, Bob Lee’s life might have been very much different.   It is because of the work of such a group that the Louisiana native is a Baptist today. After surrendering to the ministry in a Methodist church, Lee enrolled at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Disenfranchised with his denomination, he became a Baptist through involvement in the campus Baptist Student Union group. From there, he transferred to Louisiana College in Pineville, where he met his future wife, Nancy, the first day on campus.   However, college was not the end of Lee’s involvement with Baptist Student Union. Indeed, this year, Lee is celebrating his 30th year as Baptist Student Union director for Oklahoma Baptists. Lee came to the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma just three years after it became a separate department.   Lee was about to graduate from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary when he received a call to serve as associate pastor at an Oklahoma Baptist church. Lee spent two years at the church before assuming the … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptist collegians were challenged to continue a legacy of service with their lives recently. Louisiana Baptist collegians were challenged to continue a legacy of service with their lives recently.   "For all of us, the consistent message of Scripture would be that one of the starting points - possibly the starting point - in following Christ would be to serve others," Mike Thompson told more than 500 college students at the Louisiana Baptist Fall Collegiate Conference in Alexandria.   "If we want to be people who communicate a legacy to others and we don’t know where else to start, I’d start right there."   Thompson spoke three times during the annual conference, challenging students to heed the theme of the meeting - "Continuing the Legacy." He is associate professor of historical studies at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in Mill Valley, Calif.   In addition to those addresses, students participated in small-group sessions on such topics as fasting, prayer, submission and study. All of the topics were related to "Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth" by Richard Foster.   Students also participated in praise sessions and … [Read more...]

The rash of school shootings in recent years caused some Americans to reexamine life’s priorities. The events of September 11 caused us all to rearrange priorities. The rash of school shootings in recent years caused some Americans to reexamine life’s priorities. The events of September 11 caused us all to rearrange priorities.   We have bowed at the altar of the almighty dollar, paid homage to a culture of pleasure and exalted the virtues of materialism. We have devalued the importance of human life, reduced its immeasurable beauty and wonder to statistical measures and redefined human worth in terms of productivity. We have neglected proper worship of God and have confined him to a spiritual dustbin to be opened only in case of a wedding or funeral, if at all.   Events expose the fallacy of moral relativism. We saw the face of EVIL, and it was horrid beyond our wildest nightmares. Surely no thinking person could observe such an event and opine that some absolute standard of good and evil does not exist in the world. Our nation has lost its sense of right and wrong, truth and falsity, evil and good. A nation unwilling to accept a minimum standard of morality is perched dangerously over the … [Read more...]

Turn back the clock 1,950+ years. The Faith Fellowship of Damascus, Syria is gathered on a Friday evening at Wahid Saleb’s residence. A woman says, "My sister Ruth just came in from Bethsaida Turn back the clock 1,950+ years. The Faith Fellowship of Damascus, Syria is gathered on a Friday evening at Wahid Saleb’s residence. A woman says, "My sister Ruth just came in from Bethsaida - she’s the one who is married to the brother of Joseph of Arimathea, you know. She said that he told her that the chief priests in Jerusalem had given a commission to that zealot Saul of Tarsus to come here and round up all us believers to take them down for judgment!"   After a numb silence, Saleb, leader of the group, says, "There’s one thing we can do: We can pray! We can pray for him and for God’s protection for us." A long period of urgent petition to God follows.   The next day, about noon as Saul and his party approach the city, the sun seems brighter than usual. ...   The master taught us to "pray for them that despitefully use" us. Let’s pray for bin Laden, for Saddam Hussein, for Muammar Ghaddafe and for those in Syria, Iraq, Iran, and Indonesia who hate us. After all, nothing is impossible to … [Read more...]