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"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Reports of private stem-cell research draws pro-life fire

Recent reports of scientists creating human embryos or attempting to clone embryos for research with their stem cells has stirred widespread condemnation from pro-life advocates. Recent reports of scientists creating human embryos or attempting to clone embryos for research with their stem cells has stirred widespread condemnation from pro-life advocates.   The critics decry the fact that the embryos must be destroyed in order for the stem cell research to continue.   The revelations of such controversial work came on successive days. The Washington Post reported on July 11 and 12 that:   • Researchers at the Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine in Norfolk, Va., have taken stem cells from embryos created by in vitro fertilization for experimentation. In doing so, the scientists became the first in the world to procure such cells from embryos created exclusively for research purposes, The Post reported.   • Scientists at Advanced Cell Technology, a biotechnology firm in Worcester, Mass., have initiated experiments to clone human embryos for the purpose of deriving stem cells for research.   Pro-life ethicists called the reports evidence of a cultural slide … [Read more...]

Break free from bondage, speaker urges

Christians experience true freedom in Christ only through a disciplined, lifetime commitment to renounce whatever holds them in bondage, Elizabeth Luter said. Christians experience true freedom in Christ only through a disciplined, lifetime commitment to renounce whatever holds them in bondage, Elizabeth Luter said.   Pride, fear and a failure to seek forgiveness are common sources of bondage among Christians, explained Luter, whose husband, Fred, is pastor at Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans.   "I didn’t think I was guilty of false pride, because I wasn’t boastful with it," Luter said, adding that God nevertheless showed her where she had problems and guided her in addressing them.   And while people sometimes say fear makes a person humble, Luter disagreed during her presentation at a Southern Baptist gathering for black church leaders.   "Fear paralyzes us and keeps us from experiencing the fullness of God," she said.   Failure to trust God to forgive and forget sin represents another stronghold on the lives of some Christians, Luter continued. "Daily, we have to denounce things that trap us. For years, I believed in God, but I didn’t believe … [Read more...]

Government money for faith-based efforts? No thanks

President George W. Bush’s desire for the federal government to help fund faith-based social improvement efforts seem to be on a fast track to congressional approval, having already been approved by two House committees. President George W. Bush’s desire for the federal government to help fund faith-based social improvement efforts seem to be on a fast track to congressional approval, having already been approved by two House committees.   President Bush and the congressional handlers of the bill that would establish a bureaucracy to get federal money to faith-based organizations have made several revisions to the initial proposal. These revisions have helped relieve the concerns of some of those who had reservations about the initial proposal. To this editor, the revisions point out the problem of the entire idea of federal funds going to religious or faith-based activities.   The House Judiciary Committee included the following among the amendments it added to the original proposal:   • No funds provided by the government may be used for religious "instruction, worship or proselytization."   • Recipients of aid from government-funded organizations cannot be required to … [Read more...]

Weekly Announcements

For the week of July 26, 2001 Potpourri •OAK GROVE - First church: 2001 Bayou Macon Association Evangelism Conference; Aug. 6, 7 p.m.; Charles Wesley, speaker; The Prospectors, music; James Parker, pastor. •POLLOCK - Pleasant Hill church to sponsor a "School Uniform Swap Meet" on Aug. 4, 11 a.m.; for information, contact the pastor, Lyndon Marcotte, at (318) 765-3548 or (318) 641-9050 or e-mail to: 7653548@bellsouth.net. •QUITMAN - Quitman church: Bible conference; Aug. 3, 6 p.m.; Aug. 4, 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Aug. 5, 9:30 a.m. with dinner following; Craig James, Ed Lacy and Harvey Reeves, speaker; Donald Rudd, pastor. Homecomings •LOTTIE - Cane Brake church: July 29, 11 a.m.; dinner to follow; Thomas Ayo, pastor, to speak. Anniversaries •SPRINGHILL - Temple church: 40th; Aug. 5, 10 a.m.; James Carson, speaker; dinner to follow; Wayne Reeves, pastor. Revivals •GOLDONNA - Yankee Springs church: July 29, 10:45 a.m. and 7 p.m.; July 30 - Aug. 1, 7 p.m.; Joey Bignar, evangelist; Don Doughty, pastor. Licenses •NATCHITOCHES - Trinity church licensed Jacob Morrow to gospel ministry: Wayne Morrow, pastor. Welcome •JOYCE - J. Tommy Smith has been called to East Winnfield church as pastor. He comes from New … [Read more...]

Prayer of Jabez

A best-selling book is introducing millions of Christiazns to an obscure Old Testament Prayer - but the resulting emphasis is cause for caution among some   Mark Wingfield Texas Baptist Standard A best-selling book is introducing millions of Christiazns to an obscure Old Testament Prayer - but the resulting emphasis is cause for caution among some   Does God intend to give his children certain blessings - but only if they ask? Does reciting the same prayer to God every day provide power?   Does praying daily for God to bless one and enlarge one’s territory violate dictates of Christian humility and sacrifice?   Has the so-called "health and wealth" theology found a back door into Baptist congregations?   These are some of the theological questions raised by the breakaway popularity of Bruce Wilkinson’s bestselling book - "The Prayer of Jabez." The book has been widely embraced by Baptist ministers and laypeople in recent months.   In the book, Wilkinson urges readers to "reach for an extraordinary life" by praying the prayer of Jabez daily.   Wilkinson writes that he has prayed the prayer of Jabez every day for 30 years - and has found it … [Read more...]

Prof – ‘You can learn to deal with (stress) better’

Judi Jackson was stressed. She was a full time doctoral student, as well as a seminary professor.   Her husband also was a seminary professor and traveled ... a lot. Judi Jackson was stressed. She was a full time doctoral student, as well as a seminary professor.   Her husband also was a seminary professor and traveled ... a lot.   She had kids.   Then, if that were not enough stress, the worst happened. Her mother and her father-in-law both died in a few months’ time.   It is fitting that Jackson would be leading a recent Southern Baptist conference on handling stress. The adjunct professor of church recreation/wellness at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary has learned from experience.   "Stress is your body’s reaction to change - and I had a lot of changes going in a relatively short time," Jackson said during her session at Green Lake Conference Center in Green Lake, Wisc. "I’m not about to tell you that you can get rid of the stress in your life. You can’t. All you can learn to do is to deal with it better."   Jackson described the two kinds of stress.   First, there is distress or bad stress. This kind of stress will … [Read more...]

I only needed two – maybe I can sell the other 5,127

They are piling up in the refrigerator, spilling onto the floor every time the door is opened. Without creative action, they will take over the place. They are piling up in the refrigerator, spilling onto the floor every time the door is opened. Without creative action, they will take over the place.   Everyone orders one of those "deal meals" at a drive-through burger place. Marvelous how they come up with those cute, rhyming names. You get a burger, fries and drink in any one of three sizes. By the time you finish ordering, you feel like you have been playing 20 questions: "Would you like cheese on that? Would you like to super size it? How about big size it? What kind of drink would you like with that? Would you like some pie with that? Would you like ketchup?"   Normally, I say, "No thank you" to the ketchup. I like to drive safely. Peeling the wrapper until it exposes just enough burger, juggling that, plus removing the fries from the holder, then placing them into my mouth and working the drink back and forth from the holder on the dash and into the mouth while talking on the cellular phone is about all I can handle while negotiating the Alexandria South Traffic Circle … [Read more...]

‘Out of the church building – and into the world’

The Stone Mountain area just east of Atlanta received some sprucing up - and a healthy dose of the good news - as Southern Baptist women from 10 states recently descended on the area. The Stone Mountain area just east of Atlanta received some sprucing up - and a healthy dose of the good news - as Southern Baptist women from 10 states recently descended on the area.   Nearly 160 Southern Baptist Woman’s Missionary Union volunteers drove up to 10 hours to participate in a range of missions efforts in the area.   Volunteers worked to weed and plant flower beds in Stone Mountain Village as part of a city beautification project, conduct prayerwalks and block parties, serve in ministry centers, perform light construction and visit shut-ins.   All in all, 20 projects were completed during the Atlanta MissionsFEST held in late April. It was the second such event sponsored by the national Woman’s Missionary Union. Last year, Charleston, S.C., was the first location to benefit from the ministry. Little Rock, Ark., and Philadelphia, Pa., will host similar events this year.   In the Stone Mountain effort, volunteers worked at a range of projects.   • At Indian Creek Baptist … [Read more...]

Southern Baptist world hunger fund struggling to meet increased demands

While Southern Baptists have contributed faithfully to the Southern Baptist World Hunger Fund since the 1970s, hunger ministries in the United States have struggled with increased demand in the past year. While Southern Baptists have contributed faithfully to the Southern Baptist World Hunger Fund since the 1970s, hunger ministries in the United States have struggled with increased demand in the past year. Requests for domestic hunger funds were up 80 percent, while Southern Baptist World Hunger Fund receipts actually declined in that time. Still, in spite of the struggle, nearly 3 million lives were touched in the United States and its territories alone last year, with 13,600 professions of faith directly related to domestic hunger ministries funded by Southern Baptists. "Full implementation of welfare reform resulted in thousands of people entering the workplace, earning wages too meager to meet their family’s basic needs," explained Donoso Escobar, director of hunger ministries with the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board. "The result has been an unprecedented level of requests for funds. At such times, we have been blessed with an opportunity to demonstrate Christ’s love in a very tangible … [Read more...]

These DeRidder seniors took a trip – for missions

Shannon Baker New Orleans Seminary   Three years ago, Doyle Cooper did not sense the fulfillment and purpose he longed for the senior adults at First Baptist Church of DeRidder to experience. Three years ago, Doyle Cooper did not sense the fulfillment and purpose he longed for the senior adults at First Baptist Church of DeRidder to experience.   It was not as if the seniors were inactive. They were involved in the church’s ministries of prayer chains, phone care, luncheons, day trips and a growing Sunday School.   Still, Cooper looked for something more.   He planned a mission trip for them.   The general assessment was clear in the comment of one senior adult after the trip.   "I’ve been sitting on the pew for 50 years - but never again!" the senior said.   Cooper has done his part to help his senior adults fulfill that commitment.   Recently, he took a week off his normal chemotherapy regimen for cancer and led 55 senior adults from the DeRidder church on a fourth missions trip.   This time, the 25-year youth pastor turned senior adult minister led seniors to the inaugural Senior Adult MissionLab at New Orleans … [Read more...]