Glorious Contradictions #devo #Tozer
“God has revealed so many glorious contradictions in the lives and conduct of genuine Christian believers…”
- The Christian is dead and yet he lives forever.
- The Christian saves his own life by losing it, and he is in danger of losing it by trying to save it.
- the Christian is strongest when he is weakest and weakest when he is strongest.
- The Christian is in least danger when he is fearful and trusting God and in the most danger when he feels the most self-confident.
- The Christian actually has the most when he is giving away the most
Lord, help me be a glorious contradiction to this world.
http://www.cmalliance.org/devotions/tozer?id=235
Louisiana Baptists are Multiplying!
[from my September 30th, 2015 report to the Louisiana Baptists Executive Board, whom I have the privilege of serving as Church Planting Strategist]
[UPDATED November 5th, 2015]
Louisiana Baptist are indeed Multiplying! New church plants have increased 75% in Louisiana since 2011: In 2011, 8 new churches were planted; 14 in 2012; 18 in 2013; 26 in 2014; and so far in 2015, 33 new churches have been planted across Louisiana!
2015 Baptisms Poster
What’s the impact of church planting?
- New commitments to Christ! Since 2010, new churches in years 1-3 have reported 8,909 new commitments to Christ & 1,643 baptisms.
- New partners in cooperation! In the last two years, new churches in Louisiana have given $365,957 to the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention and $73,624 to their local Associations.
And through church planting we’re closing some of the missiological gaps & trends in our state. One of the haunting lines in the President’s 2020 Commission report presented at the Louisiana Baptists Annual Meeting in 2013, was that the Louisiana Baptist Convention was a declining, northern, anglo movement. Church Planting is allowing us to change these trends.
- The President’s 2020 Commission found that out of 1,600 churches only 5% were considered non-anglo, while 40% of the population of Louisiana is non-anglo. In the last two years, 69% (41 out of 59) of our new churches have been non-anglo. Including 25 African American, 14 Hispanic, 2 Asian.
- 2 years ago, we found that 74% of the population of Louisiana was in the south (south of Bunkie) while 64% of our LBC churches were in the north. So 64% of our churches are located where only 26% of our population resides. In the last two years, 78% (46 out of 59) of new churches have been planted in south Louisiana. Including 11 in New Orleans, where 21% of our population resides.
We still have much work to do. In 2010, Associations helped us forecast the need in their regions and with their help we set the goal of 300 new churches by 2020. Our current scorecard is at 122. So 178 new churches still needed to meet the needs across Louisiana!
And EVERY CHURCH can get involved. How can your church help? Check out these resources to help you get started:
Most Diverse Cities in Louisiana? Kenner, Bossier City, Lake Charles
Study details the nations most diverse cities. What’s the most diverse cities in Louisiana? Kenner, Bossier City, Lake Charles – http://ow.ly/Tk4Kh.
Louisiana Cities in order:
1. Kenner – 27th overall
2. Bossier City – 85th overall
3. Lake Charles – 139th overall
4. Baton Rouge – 154th overall
5. Shreveport – 183rd overall
6. Metairie – 214th overall
7. New Orleans – 246th overall
8. Lafayette – 249th overall
Neat study. Get the entire thing here: http://ow.ly/Tk5QN
And a few other notes on diversity in Louisiana:
> Louisiana’s minority population is now 40.7%.
> Kenner now shows up as 22% Hispanic. The largest % in Louisiana.
> Five Louisiana parishes have seen shifts to minority majorities since 2000 – East Baton Rouge, Caddo, Claiborne, Morehouse, & St. John the Baptist –http://ow.ly/Tl1K2.
> Lake Charles is sure to grow in diversity over the next decade with the volume of construction projects projected. And the major project by SASOL, a South African Company, has been dubbed the largest FOREIGN manufacturing investment in U.S. History at potentially $8.1 billion –http://ow.ly/Tl2kK.
What impact is diversity having on Louisiana’s churches?
Supporting Church Planters
Here’s some great ideas from Georg
e Ross for supporting church planters both near & far. CLICK HERE to read George’s latest update on church planting in New Orleans for this list & much more.
PLANTER SUPPORT IDEAS:
- Baby shower for expecting planters. Have your church host a baby shower for an expectant planter. A partner church hosted a shower last year and provided a planting couple with diapers, baby food and clothes, and a freezer FULL of food. What a blessing!
- Monthly Volunteers for childcare during Worship. SEND New Orleans has several partner churches that take one worship service a month and send a volunteer team to do childcare. This allows overworked volunteers to come and worship with their church family.
- Date night and childcare for a planter. One of the greatest barriers planters face in cultivating a healthy marriage, is simply finding childcare and resources to make it happen. Plan to send a team down to provide childcare and a dinner gift card. I promise it will be a blessing.
- Church Planter Profiles prayer strategy. The greatest partnership a planter can have is a faithful church praying for their family and work. Visit the NAMB website and download church planter profiles today, CLICK HERE for SEND New Orleans Church Planter Profiles.
- Hosting a Global Impact Conference at your church. Having a church planter come and share at a GIC is a powerful way to communicate and challenge your church to participate in local and global missions. Get more information on the benefits of a Global Impact Conference over at George’s Blog.
- Pastor Appreciation Month. Unlike many established churches with a rich tradition of pastor appreciation, church plants reaching un-churched and de-churched people rarely have a background in pastor appreciation. Use this October as an opportunity to appreciate your church plant pastor. Click HERE for some great resources for pastor appreciation from the North American Mission Board.
Get to know George by following his blog, connect with him on Twitter. And follow Send New Orleans HERE.
It’s NOT the End of the World. YET…
Well, October’s here & the world didn’t end after all. But we did get some great shots of the Blood Moon. (My favorite is attached from Mike Mezeul in Dallas. Taken every 10 minutes. Wow!)
Still we’re told in the Bible that Jesus will return like a thief in the night & bring an end to this world (Matthew 24:44), & we should wait expectantly for that day (Titus 2:13-14, Philippians 3:20). Then we’ll experience a new heaven & new earth where righteousness dwells (2 Peter 3:10,13).
In last week’s Bible Study at Bridge Church, we looked at some of Peter’s advice to us concerning the end of the World found in 2 Peter 3:
- Be awakened by this truth – v. 1-2. Let it be like your morning coffee or shower. Everyday remember that life is short & tomorrow is not promised.
- Don’t be a scoffer. Take it seriously – vs. 3-8 A scoffer, takes lightly what he/she should take seriously. Heaven & hell are in the balance for many as they face the end of life or the end of the world. Don’t lose the weight of that truth from God’s word.
- Take advantage of God’s patience – vs. 9. God’s patience in not bringing about the end of the world or the end of our individual lives should tell us that we have more time to be a light & tell those around us about what he’s done for us in Christ. God’s patience should also serve as a reminder that he wants my friends, relatives, n
eighbors to know Him before its everlasting too late. - Let the Day of the Lord motivate you to godliness – vs. 10-12. If this is true “it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godlines”.
Great advice for parents to leave with teenagers as they leave the house – “Don’t do anything that you wouldn’t want to be doing when Jesus came back.” Good thought for all of us as we think about the brevity of life & the truth from God’s word that one day this will all end.
Join Bridge Church this Sunday as we continue our study of the new testament book of 2 Peter. 10:30am at the Madisonville Maritime Museum.
Time lapse photo taken by Mike Mezeul. Posted on a photography Facebook group that I’m in. See Mike’s work & get a print here: https://mikemezphotography.smugmug.com/Night-Sky/i-KpRzTb5/A
Family Serve Lake Charles
It was great to be a part of Family Serve weekend in Lake Charles. Looking forward to this annual event to be held around Louisiana that combines missions & family fun, allowing families to serve together on a mission trip in Louisiana. It was great to meet & worship with Jeff Slaughter, the genius behind Lifeway’s crazy VBS songs that I never seem to get out of my head at the end of the summer. LOL! And by the way, his creativity definitely has the character & incredible heart for God behind it. And I loved serving in Lake Charles. It’s one of the fastest growing places in the country right now. 17% economic growth last year. More to come. Church Planters & Partners needed. Our team worked with Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church, with Pastor Freddy Brown, which is in a neighborhood that was destroyed 10 years ago by Hurricane Rita. Incredible people! Great day of service!
Thanks to Jess Archer, Jeff Cook, Bruce Baker – DOM of the Carey Baptist Association, Chris Jeffus, & church planters Blake Forman – Sulphur Community Church, Brian Manuel – Carlyss Community Church, & Kedrick Holliday – Safehaven Bible Church – for their hard work in putting everything together.
Look forward to Family Serve 2016!
Block Party at Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church. Grateful for Pastor Freddy Brown.
Jeff Slaughter!
Prayer Walking in the Rice Mill area.
Why I LOVE Giving to the Georgia Barnette Offering for Louisiana Missions!
The Georgia Barnette Offering for Louisiana Missions is one thing that I can give to with great cheer (2 Corinthians 9:7). Why? Through the GBO, among other things, we’re able to cover up to 30% of the first year budget for a new church & provide two additional years of support for a total of 36 months. Current averages for church plant support are around $44,000 per, over a 36 month period. This assures the church planter of substantial support as he plans out the first three years of ministry in the community. Also, as a church planter who has received support through the GBO, I was encouraged by the weight of 1,600 Louisiana Baptist churches who said yes to our calling as a family & our communities need for the gospel. And now, I get to see the results of our together giving up close & personal as I read the reports & follow the work of our church planters in Louisiana. This year, over 200 people have been baptized & over 600 have professed faith in Christ through churches supported by the GBO. I give with cheer cause I know my $$ will be turned into real people engaging communities with the gospel & people’s lives being changed in my home state. Below are a few 2015 pics from works directly supported by the GBO. Give with cheer! Check out GeorgiaBarnette.org for more info & see what other ministries in Louisiana supported by Georgia Barnette.
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- Crosspoint Church, Galliano – Planter John Boss
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- Jacob Crawford, Life Point, Mansura – Planter Jacob Crawford
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- Restoration Church, Metairie – Planter Dean Ross
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- Stillwater Baptist, Hammond – Planter Lonnie Tucker
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- Life Church NOLA – Church Planter Ryan Rice – begins receiving support through GBO in October 2015
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- First HIspanic Haughton – Planter Miguel Guillen
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- Westbank Baptist, Marrero – Planter Ryan Melson
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- First West Fairbanks – Planter Chad Merrell
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- The Grove, Prairieville – Planter T Lusk
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- Grace Point, Destrehan – Planter Chris Housewright
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- United Outreach, Shreveport – Planter Greg Shyne
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- Level Ground NOLA – Planter Joshua Holland
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- Genesis Church, Walker – Church Planter Jeff Smith
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- Impact Church NOLA – Planter Lance Montalbano
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- Unity Baptist, Franklin – Planter Darryl Guy
Start a Church for the Whole World
Photo provided by http://www.creationswap.com/.
Church Planting Axiom I heard years ago: “Don’t just start a church for your community. Start a church for the whole world.” That resonated with me for several reasons:
- God’s Great Commission vision for his disciples was global. Matthew 28:19-20.
- You need the whole world to properly make a disciple. True disciples will be moved to go & give of themselves. You’ll need to give them opportunities.
- The whole world needs disciples that have a vision for going & giving. A growing family of disciples was Jesus’ Plan A for reaching the world.
- Going & even dreaming of going on mission, stretches our faith & helps us deal with our own selfishness & complacency. Color of the carpet, etc. pales in comparison to the needs of the world.
- Spiritual Maturity is impacted exponentially through going, & it seems that’s even more true when you can cross cultures.
- When you engage the world, it affects how we view our own communities. Every mission trip I’ve ever gone on, the conversation on the way back always turned to, “We could do this at home.”
How can I make sure my church is FOR the Whole World:
- Give. Make sure that your budget reflects a global vision. For our church, that means giving to the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention & supporting a few missionaries individually as a church & then as a family also. Amount doesn’t matter, just begin to make this a priority from the beginning.
- Tell stories. Video resources abound about missions & global needs. Develop space in your worship service & websites to tell the stories, show the images, celebrate the successes of missionaries, current & of old. I’ve enjoyed having the Heroes For Young Readers series around the house as a parent. Great stories of missionaries & missions.
- Connect with missionaries. Many ways to serve them on site. But praying for missionaries helps more than we’ll know on this side of eternity.
- Ask God to lead your church to a place in the world to pray for & connect with.
What are you doing to make sure your church is a church for the whole world?
If This Were the Last Week of Your Life…
Well, apparently the world may end sometime this week! Great timing. Our church will hit 2 Peter 3 in our Fall Message Series called Godliness in a Godless World.
2 Peter 3:10-14
10 But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief; on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed. 11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, it is clear what sort of people you should be in holy conduct and godliness 12 as you wait for and earnestly desire the coming of the day of God. The heavens will be on fire and be dissolved because of it, and the elements will melt with the heat. 13 But based on His promise, we wait for the new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness will dwell.
14 Therefore, dear friends, while you wait for these things, make every effort to be found at peace with Him without spot or blemish.
Will the world end? I don’t think so, but if this were the last week of your life how would you live? Truth is, none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. Be at peace with God, with others, on mission with Christ. As a mentor of mine used to say, “Live every minute like the next may be the last.”
We’ll talk about what the Bible says about the end of the world this coming Sunday at Bridge Church, 10:30am at the Maritime Museum in Madisonville.
Does the Georgia Barnette Offering Make a Difference?
Growing up in a Southern Baptist Church in Louisiana, every year of my life I’ve heard the names Annie Armstrong, Georgia Barnette, & Lottie Moon. These are the name sakes of special offerings for the National, State, & International missions efforts of our convention. Each of these three ladies were real people who devoted their lives to missions & inspire us to do the same today. Many Southern Baptist never get to see the impact of giving to these special offerings, but for me it’s personal. As a church planter, I’ve personally benefited from the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering & Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering & can say with confidence that people are in Christ today, because of the generosity of our churches to support missions efforts through these offerings. Now, I’m working as Church Planting Strategist in Louisiana & I get to attend the meetings of the Georgia Barnette Committee (which is made up of Pastors & Lay leaders from churches across Louisiana) where money is granted & I read the monthly reports of church planters whose ministries depend upon money from the GBO fund. What all does the GBO cover? Looking back over my notes from last years Georgia Barnette Committee Meeting, here’s a few areas of influence:
- LA Baptist Children’s Home Sanctity of Human Life & Pregnancy Resource Ministry
- New church startup grants across Louisiana (currently 75 projects receiving funding)
- Compassion ministry sites across Louisiana (currently 57 sites receiving ongoing funding)
- French & Spanish evangelistic Radio programming
- Literacy Missions across Louisiana
- Multi-housing Ministry across Louisiana
- City Care Effect in New Orleans
- NOBTS Extension at Angola State Penitentiary
- Evangelism at other state prisons
- Outreach to African-American collegiate students in south LA
- Summer Collegiate Mission Team (GOLA)
- Disaster Relief Supplies & Equipment
- The Mission Builder program which builds & renovates first unit buildings for new churches.
- Grants to new ministries & churches for first unit land & buildings.
- Port Ministries in New Orleans, Gonzalez, & Baton Rouge.
You can see the 2016 Budget Allocations HERE. As you can see, the Georgia Barnette Offering makes a huge difference all over Louisiana. Check out this years promo videos HERE to see a few of the stories behind the works supported by GBO. The summary video is below. Looking forward to seeing the impact of this years offering in reaching people & meeting needs in the coming years.
Lane Corley 