By David E. Hankins, LBC Executive Director Now that it is over, how do you rate 2013? Are you singing with Sinatra, “It was a very good year”? We like good years where there is bountiful harvest, good health, memorable experiences with family and friends, and a general sense of peace and satisfaction. Those are the years we remember with fondness. We get out the photos or pop in the DVD and enjoy once again the pleasant times. Then… there are those “other” years – the ones marked by loss and hardship and conflict. We pack the artifacts of bad years in a box tied with strong twine, and shove it in a corner of life’s attic, hoping to never look at it again. The biblical man Noah lived a long time and also long time ago. Across his lengthy lifespan, he probably had a wide admixture of annual experiences. There were years that were good, bad, mediocre, exhilarating, frightening, happy, sad, mundane, forgettable- -the whole gamut. But his 600th year was catastrophic – a life-changing, earth-shattering, epoch-making, never-to-be-repeated calamity. It was the year of the deluge-the great flood. He had been warned it would come and told how to prepare. But it was still catastrophic. The Bible’s description of the flood’s … [Read more...]
Morals built on sand will lead to collapse
By Gary Ledbetter, Editor of The Texan Last month’s federal district court decision out of Utah that struck down part of the state’s anti-polygamy law prompted much talk about slippery slopes. Clearly this is another shoe dropping from earlier decisions against the U.S. Defense of Marriage Act and even the Lawrence v. Texas decision, which declared anti-sodomy laws unconstitutional. It really is hard to imagine how such decisions, which blur the definitions of morality and marriage, will have no catastrophic consequences. In fact, there is little doubt that advocates of minority morals are counting on the slope being slippery. Remember when the Boy Scouts of America decided to abandon a national ban on openly homosexual scouts but did not go so far as to accept homosexual scout leaders? Protesters and advocates who pushed for homosexual rights responded by saying this is only the first step. And we agreed with them. Those who favor public endorsement of licentiousness have taken encouragement from the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” in the military, from the growing number of states that now recognize same-sex marriages and from cases where private businesses have been punished for their private refusal to participate in … [Read more...]
Letters to the Editor
To the Editor Has a policy been issued or a revised interpretation of scripture been developed which says that rededication is no longer appropriate or politically correct? Has this personal act of surrender become a victim of the “reculturalization” of our churches? As Christians we can each go into our bedroom, our closet, or our automobile and rededicate our lives to God. It would have the same validity as a public rededication. What it would not have is the visual, physical, and social support from our fellow Christians who become not only our mentors but also our monitors. Christianity is both a personal and a corporate responsibility. Personal in that we alone have the freedom to choose salvation. Corporate, in that we depend upon our church leadership to provide an environment that fosters the enabling of our conversion as well as the development, maturation and maintenance of our Christian life. Sometime ago I asked a minister “How is Christianity measured”? He had no answer. However, I fully believe that each one of us knows exactly the level of our tank concerning our Christianity. We know both spiritually and intuitively. The indicators are practically unlimited and include our thoughts, speech, physical actions, … [Read more...]
Are thoughts on alcoholism changing?
By Ed Stetzer, President of LifeWay Research It appears views about alcohol are changing among some evangelicals. I’ve had conversations about with Wesleyans in Canada, Baptists in Texas and Pentecostals in Oklahoma. All see a shift in attitude. Many conservative evangelicals have been moderationists for a long time, so an anti-alcohol sentiment is not universal among evangelicals. Sometimes observers will see “Northern Evangelicalism” as moderationist, with “Southern Evangelicalism” being abstentionists, and there is a good amount of truth in that geographic reality. I’ve always been very open that I don’t drink beverage alcohol. Part of that comes from a heritage of alcoholism that inspires this post. I’ve seen it up close and know alcoholism’s destructive power – yet, many evangelicals have not. More evangelicals may be exposed to the destructiveness of alcoholism if acceptance grows. I believe this column would not be needed if everyone shared my view, but they don’t. So my purpose is to point to a side effect of a growing acceptance of alcohol, and no one should disagree with the importance of this topic (unless you don’t believe in alcoholism). After I read the article “5 Uncomfortable Issues the Church Needs to Start … [Read more...]
Start reading your Bible
By David Roach, Writer Shelbyville, Ky. There is no wrong place to start reading the Bible. The book of 2 Timothy says that “all Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). While the apostle Paul wrote those words specifically about the Old Testament, they apply to the New Testament as well. Regardless of where you begin reading, God guarantees that the words on the page are true, sent from Him and powerful to change your life. Still, different Bible reading plans are better suited for different people. Here are a few methods to consider: n Read through the entire Bible in a year using a reading calendar. You can find many plans online for covering every single verse in one year. n To read at a slower pace, use a one-year plan but only read half of the assignment each day. This helps some people understand and apply what they read more effectively. And it will take you through the Bible in two years. n Start in one of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John) and read a chapter each day. These books tell the story of Jesus’ life on earth and are a great place to learn about following Him. n Start at the beginning. Begin with … [Read more...]
We should embrace the Power of the Pulpit
By Jeff Iorg, President of Golden Gate Seminary The Martin Luther King Day celebrations reminded me of a trip a few years ago that included a few minutes at Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church in Montgomery, Ala. The most surprising aspect of my visit was how small the church was. It could easily fit inside our chapel at Golden Gate, which is not very big compared to many other schools. Yet, from a relatively small church facility, a pastor used the power and influence of his pulpit to guide the Montgomery bus boycott and fuel the civil rights movement that changed our nation. The size of the church was eclipsed by two things – the power of the preached Word of God and the capabilities of the man doing the preaching. Many churches, and sadly many pastors, have lost the sense of awe the pulpit once inspired. The pulpit, as a symbol of preaching, has been removed from many churches. A seemingly good motive for this was to remove communication barriers with the congregation. While I understand the desire to change the mood toward a more dialogical approach, the lost sense of authority implied by jettisoning the furniture may have been more of a loss than intended. The African-American church still embraces the power of … [Read more...]
CEC equips students with tools to become a voice on campus
Submitted by philip on Fri, 01/31/2014 - 10:03 Jordan Easley By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer LAFAYETTE – In a day of increasing opposition to the gospel, Louisiana Baptist leaders are hoping the upcoming Collegiate Evangelism Conference will equip students with the tools necessary to be a voice on their respective campuses and beyond. Set for Feb. 7-8 at East Bayou Baptist in Lafayette, the conference is expected to draw between 600 and 900 students to the annual event. In addition to high-energy music and inspiring messages, the conference will also feature breakout seminars that will focus on apologetics – speaking in defense of one’s faith. The theme of the conference is “Your Voice.” Mark Robinson, director of the LBC’s collegiate ministry team, said they hope each seminar and session will help students find their voice to speak the truth. “It’s paramount to their ability to grow as a strong follower of Christ and leader in the church,” Robinson said. Jordan Easley, a pastor and author from Hendersonville, Tenn., will be the guest speaker at the Friday evening and Saturday morning and evening sessions. All Sons and Daughters, a worship duo based out of Journey Church in Franklin, Tenn., will lead the … [Read more...]
Message board OKs creation of Message Books
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer The Baptist Message board during its December meeting unanimously approved the creation of Message Bookswhich will be a book publishing/producing arm of the Baptist Message. The impetus of this new endeavor came at the suggestion of Editor Kelly Boggs. He presented it not only as a new revenue stream but also as a way to promote authors with a Louisiana Baptist connection. “I spoke to an editor of a state Baptist paper who was in the process of launching a book publishing ministry,” Boggs said. “I liked the idea, because I think we have several gifted authors in Louisiana.” The Message plans to publish/produce two books in 2014. One author will be well-known to Louisiana Baptists. The other is a collaborative effort that is theological in nature and will likely be viewed as somewhat provocative. “We hope to have the two books we’re working on published by the end of the first quarter or soon thereafter,” Boggs said. In the future, Louisiana Baptists who have a desire to be published will be encouraged to submit book proposals on their prospective projects to the Baptist Message. “This new publishing/producing endeavor is a business and so when we look at a potential author, we have … [Read more...]
Vieux Carre presence in N.O. French Quarter for five decades
Submitted by philip on Fri, 01/31/2014 - 10:10 Tom Bilderback (right) has seen God at work in New Orleans since he became pastor of Vieux Carre Baptist in the French Quarter in 2011. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer NEW ORLEANS – The French Quarter is known for its Mardi Gras bead throwers, restaurant dwellers, fortune tellers and party revelers. But some may not realize that among the partying and eating is a 49-year-old Louisiana Baptist congregation seeking to reach its community with the gospel. And the story of how its pastor was led to the city is about as remarkable as how the church has survived hurricanes and financial hardships and impacted the community for nearly five decades in New Orleans’ French Quarter. Situated one block from the infamous Bourbon Street, Vieux Carre Baptist Church draws as many as 30 into its small worship space on any given Sunday morning. Some are homeless, but most live and work in the area surrounding the church. Their occupations range from coffee house barista to shoe store sales associate to school teacher. Living among those who work and reside in the French Quarter community has been a key to making inroads there, according to Tom Bilderback, pastor of the … [Read more...]
NOBTS receives $250,000 grant to help future ministers
By Gary D. Myers, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS – New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) has received a $250,000 grant as part of Indianapolis-based Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Theological School Initiative to address economic issues facing future ministers. NOBTS, the first institution created as a direct act of the Southern Baptist Convention in 1917, is one of 67 theological schools across the country to receive this funding. Personal financial pressures are severely limiting the ability of seminary graduates to accept calls to Christian ministry and undermining the effectiveness of too many pastoral leaders. To help address this issue, Lilly Endowment created the Theological School Initiative to Address Economic Issues Facing Future Ministers. The initiative’s aim is to encourage theological schools to examine and strengthen their financial and educational practices to improve the economic well-being of future pastors. All theological schools fully accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada were invited to submit grant proposals. New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary will use its funding to help students develop financial skills and take active steps toward reducing … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 87
- 88
- 89
- 90
- 91
- …
- 808
- Next Page »