By Tom Strode, Baptist Press WASHINGTON (BP) –The Southern Baptist Convention’s religious freedom and financial benefits entities both expressed their opposition to a federal court ruling invalidating the ministerial housing allowance. The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) and GuideStone Financial Resources protested a Nov. 22 decision by federal Judge Barbara Crabb that struck down the portion of a 1954 federal law that allows clergy to exclude for federal income tax purposes a portion or all of their gross income as a housing allowance. Crabb ruled that the provision violates the First Amendment’s prohibition on government establishment of religion. Crabb, a judge in the Western District of Wisconsin, blocked enforcement of her opinion until the appeals process in the lawsuit is complete. In a combined news release Nov. 23, ERLC and Guidestone officials expressed their solidarity in working to protect the housing allowance. “The clergy housing allowance isn’t a government establishment of religion, but just the reverse,” ERLC President Russell D. Moore said. “The allowance is neutral to all religions. Without it, clergy in small congregations of all sorts would be penalized and harmed. “We will continue to … [Read more...]

ON THE MOVE Reggie (wife Leslie) Bridges new as pastor Temple Baptist Church, Ruston. He comes from First Baptist Zachary. Matthew Smith resigns as Minister of Students and Education at New Zion Baptist Church in Covington to pastor Hebron Baptist Church, Bush. He starts at Hebron on Dec. 8.   LAGNIAPPE First Baptist Church, Minden: A Christmas Night of Praise featuring Celebration Choir and Orchestra, Dec. 8, 6 p.m.; Sounds of Christmas featuring Keyboards at Christmas and Celebration Orchestra, Dec. 15, 6 p.m. and Christmas Eve Candlelight Service Dec. 24, 5 p.m. Pastor: Leland Crawford. Hebron Baptist Church, Denham Springs: Journey to Bethlehem - A Christmas Experience, Dec. 7 beginning at 6 p.m. & Dec. 8 beginning at 4 p.m. For more information, call the church office at 225.665.6278. Pastor: Joe Alain. Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, DeRidder: ‘That Night in Bethlehem’ is a drive-through nativity experience, Dec. 6-7, Dec. 13-15 and Dec. 20-22. For more information, call 337.463.6611. First Baptist Church, Ponchatoula: Annual Christmas Tea “The Ultimate Gift, Dec. 7, 2- 4 p.m. Speaker: Judie Jackson, Women’s Ministry Professor at NOBTS, and May Jo Castell. Tickets are $10. For more information, call … [Read more...]

By Staff, World News Magazine Most churchgoers realize this truth after several years of church involvement: Our churches are imperfect. The church is a complex, living organism made up of flawed leaders and members of the congregation, struggling to survive through limited resources, complicated relationships, and controversial dramas. Gee, if only we had a hotline to dial and fix these issues. That’s the premise behind Church Rescue, a new National Geographic Channel reality show produced by T Group Productions premiered Nov. 11. If you’ve ever watched the popular show Extreme Makeover, you’ll know how the sequence goes: A team of experts swoop in to change somebody’s life with their advice and their network’s deep pockets—all under a time crunch. You see some tears, a little “tough love,” and a nail-biting obstacle or two. They all lead up to the climactic unveiling, in which participants reveal their “after” phase and bask in the shock and praise of family and friends. Church Rescue provides all those elements – except instead of a beauty makeover, it travels across the country trying to resuscitate failing churches. The team of experts is the Church Hoppers, a consulting company based in North Carolina. A trio of best … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 12/02/2013 - 15:04 More than 200 Haitian children were ministered to each day through Bible study, crafts and recreation by the 37-person Louisiana mission team. By Julie Cupples, LBCH Communications Thirty-seven Louisiana Baptists were part of a mission trip to Haiti Nov. 2-8. The mission trip sponsored by the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home & Family Ministries  was in conjunction with the Louisiana/Haiti Partnership. The team consisted of Louisiana Baptists from Calvary Baptist, Alexandria, First Baptist Monroe, North Monroe Baptist, Trinity Baptist, Oak Grove, Jefferson Baptist, Baton Rouge, Belfair of Baton Rouge, Church of Life Fellowship, Baton Rouge, Philadelphia Baptist, Deville, and New Life Baptist, Deridder. These mission volunteers joined together to minister to children and families in the city of Croix-des-Bouquets and in a rural area north of the city known as Canaan. Several churches, in cooperation with the Louisiana Baptist Convention, have worked to establish a Louisiana Baptist and Haiti partnership with the Haitian Baptist Convention. The Children’s Home has joined this partnership to provide orphan support. The intent of this partnership is “first and … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief teams have been activated to minister in Oklahoma, Texas and the Philippines. The teams going to areas affected by the winter storm in Oklahoma and Texas are working there from next week through late this month.  Teams from Carey, Eastern Louisiana and Washington, and Two Rivers associations will work in Hugo, Okla. Another team from Northwest Association will minister in Paris, Texas. The winter storm in Hugo and other parts of Oklahoma dumped snow, ice and sleet and left behind snapped trees and thousands in the dark by the time it moved out of the state last weekend. Residents of Paris and other areas of North Texas dealt with the same weather event, with similar results as Oklahoma. Financial gifts have already been received but between $8,000 and $10,000 is what is needed to complete the cost of the trip in the area devastated by the typhoon. The team is being led by Freddie Arnold who is from Eastern Louisiana Association is scheduled to work in the country Jan. 17-26. Other members of the team are Billy Puckett of New Orleans Association, Ben Fussell of Washington Association,  Joey Rudisill of Central Louisiana Association and Jeff Cook from … [Read more...]

By Leigh Guidry, Alexandria Town Talk PINEVILLE – After two years on warning status, Louisiana College has had its accreditation reaffirmed by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. “The committee reaffirms the following institution and removed them from sanction: Louisiana College, Pineville, La.,” SACS spokesperson Pamela Cravey read from the accrediting agent’s report on Tuesday. The report had not been posted on the accreditation agency’s website at press time. The SACS annual meeting was held in Atlanta, Ga., Dec. 7-10. The announcement followed a vote of the SACS Commission on Colleges’ Board of Trustees at its annual meeting as well as a comprehensive on-site review of Louisiana College in October by a five-member SACS committee. “They reaffirmed the institution, removed warning status, and there is no monitoring necessary,” LC President Joe Aguillard said, ticking those off on his fingers. No follow-up is required until a five-year midpoint report is due, which Cravey expects to occur in 2015-2017. “It’s not as comprehensive, but it hits the major areas that could become problems,” she said. “It helps the institution get a feel for how they are tracking.” The next site visit will be in 2020. Travis … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 12/16/2013 - 09:33 Preliminary figures indicate Louisiana had a record-breaking year in the collection of shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. During Nov. 18-25, more than 126,000 boxes, a 1,000 more boxes than anticipated, were collected in the state. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer Preliminary figures indicate a record-breaking collection of shoeboxes this year for Operation Christmas Child in Louisiana. Throughout the year, churches of different sizes and denominations filled shoeboxes for the ministry of Franklin Graham’s Samaritan’s Purse organization. And by the end of National Collection Week – when individuals and churches dropped off their shoeboxes at major collection centers in the United States from Nov. 18-25 – more than 126,000 boxes were collected in Louisiana alone. The collection surpassed the organization’s goal for the state by more than 1,000 boxes, according to Becca Powers, Operation Christmas Child Texas/Louisiana regional media relations associate. “Breaking these records would be impossible without our year-round volunteers in the area who dedicate hundreds of hours to planning different events and collection logistics,” Powers said. “When we see … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 12/16/2013 - 09:36 Members of Philadelphia Baptist in Deville hosted a group of Louisiana College Chinese exchange students for a Matthew Party in association with My Hope with Billy Graham in early November. Three of those who attended the event prayed to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior that night. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer As he sat among an overflow crowd of 17,800 inside the New Orleans Arena on March 12, 2006, Dean Ross was watching evangelist Billy Graham preach a message of hope to those who were recovering from Hurricane Katrina that devastated the city seven months earlier. Seven years later, in early November, Ross wasn’t inside the arena but at the church he pastors, watching a broadcast of Graham’s sermon to millions through the evangelistic effort My Hope with Billy Graham. The end result throughout Restoration Church, Louisiana and beyond was thousands saved and lives forever changed through what is believed to be Graham’s final sermon. “It was a huge blessing in 2006 for Franklin and Billy Graham to come support the restoration, renewal and revival of our city by bringing the hope of Jesus to so many people,” said Ross, pastor of Restoration Church in … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Mon, 12/16/2013 - 09:38 Tony Nolan By Philip Timothy, Managing Editor BATON ROUGE – To reach the younger people of the state with the gospel, Louisiana Baptists must become more intentional. Recently released findings of the President’s 2020 Commission shows Louisiana is losing significant ground in reaching its younger generation. The report reveals Louisiana has been losing ground for the last several decades in both attendance and baptisms. Therefore reaching the next generation is not only imperative but essential to gospel success for the future. As one of the foremost youth speakers in the country, Tony Nolan of TNT Ministries in Canton, Ga., recognizes the importance of connecting with the younger generation as well as “helping them get it about God’s great love and salvation!” As one of eight speakers at the 2014 Evangelism Conference, he will share how to be more ‘intentional’ reaching today’s youth. “Tony is known across the country for his work with young people,” Wayne Jenkins, director of evangelism and church growth for the Louisiana Baptist Convention said. “His ability to reach the younger generation … to challenge them … is his strength. He will cast a vision on how to reach … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message BATON ROUGE – Success breeds success. After last year’s highly successful servant evangelism project at First Lafayette, Wayne Jenkins, director of the LBC’s Evangelism and Church Growth staff, has come up with another project that would help the BAGBR Association. “Last year’s project (cans of food) was highly successful,” Jenkins said. “We had a number of items brought to the Conference and several churches delivered truckloads of canned goods which were later distributed to the needy. “I can’t thank the pastor who made a push at their churches for these items which were brought to the church in pickups,” Jenkins continued. “Because of their location, BAGBR is heavily involved in prison ministries,” Jenkins said. “In order to assist, we are asking attendees to bring in Prison Care Packages. Each package (a gallon-sized Ziploc bag) filled with items not provided to the prisoners. “I am hoping, like last year, everyone – people, pastors and churches – will rally around this project,” Jenkins said. Among the items needed include: power stick deodorant, Palmolive soap, Ultrabite toothpaste (6 oz.), washcloth, BIC pens (no click pens, please), note tablet, tooth brush – soft handle (4 pack), and … [Read more...]