Publication of Evangeline & Gulf Coast Baptist Associations of the Louisiana Baptist Convention

ENTRE NOUS
Elizabeth A. Langley
Office Administrator

October, 2013 Volume 41, No. 9

Bert Langley
Director of Missions

Melaney Dudley
Media Specialist/Office Assistant

Weldon Moak & Nathan Rush

Mary Langford
Counselor

Evangeline Baptist Association

Connecting Churches Through the Cross Gulf Coast Baptist Association Bert Langley, Director of Missions

DOM Lines

Have you taken time lately to pray for your pastor and express appreciation for his faithfulness to Gods call in his life? Too often we fail to realize that the person in the pulpit faces many of the same problems and pressures of life that the person in the pew faces. Michael Lewis, executive director of Pastor for Pastors at the North American Mission Board, recently published the following statistics concerning pastors that are extremely alarming:

50 percent of pastors' marriages end in divorce. 18,000 leave the ministry every year due to burnout, termination or moral/marital issues. 80 percent of ministers' spouses wish their partner would choose another profession.
Dr. Lewis further added, The North American Mission Board wants to be a part of changing these trends, so we have developed some simple strategies to bless your pastors and their families. The LIFT pastor appreciation strategy is designed to see God prompt the church to become the pastor's greatest source of support as he: Loves the Lord and his spouse Loves his children Loves the church Lovingly witnesses As an expression of affirmation to all your ministers and their families, we recommend you consider promoting the LIFT pastor appreciation strategy within your churches. Take time to express appreciation to your pastor during the month of October, Pastor Appreciation Month, for the blessing he has been to you and your family. John F. Kennedy said, We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.

Counselors Corner

Mary Langford, Counselor

Many of you will have seen on CNN the touching, inspiring interview given by Rick and Kay Warren regarding the suicide of their mentally and emotionally troubled son Matthew. People across the country listened as they bared their broken hearts and proclaimed their continued trust in the Lord. I keep remembering Ricks recounting of his son coming to him years ago to ask why he couldnt just die because they had tried doctors, hospitals, medication and much prayer, and still he was in so much pain. Rick answered that he could not give up, because there is always hope in God. And he told his son, There is purpose in your pain. This, I believe, is one of those hard, true statements. It is something I try to help people see each week as I meet with them for counseling. I am not saying that all pain is good or that we should seek pain. I am saying that in this earthly life we cannot avoid pain. We can fight it, withdraw, become angry that it has come to us, question God or have any of a number of reactions, but we cannot escape it. C.S. Lewis, my all-time favorite Christian writer, said, God whispers to us in our pleasure, speaks to us in our conscience, but He shouts to us in our pain. He knows what we encounter in this fallen world in which we live. He usually doesnt take us out of the discomfort, but promises to stay with us in the midst of it. And if we are listening, He will communicate to us some valuable lesson we could learn no other way. It may simply be the marvelous awareness of His presence. This is what gives purpose to mental, emotional or physical pain. I often hear people say, Everything happens for a reason, implying that somehow there is a good reason behind everything that happens. I can give many examples which prove that is not true. Suicide bombers and Navy Yard shooters have reasons for their actions, but they are not good reasons. What we can say is that we will determine in our own lives to give everythinggood or bad--- that happens to the Lord and ask Him use it for His purpose. My personal experience is that He honors that kind of attitude and request. That is what will give reason and purpose to our lives---and even to our pain.

Evangeline Baptist Association

Connecting Churches Through the Cross Gulf Coast Baptist Association

Through the support of the churches in the Evangeline Baptist Association, we are able to provide funding for a number of ministries in the Acadiana area. One of those ministries is Baptist Collegiate Ministries at University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL), currently led by the new director, Joe Wood. The BCM exists to help students know Christ and grow in their faith through Bible study, worship, fellowship, missions, and much more! MISSION: Helping Students Know Christ DESCRIPTION: We are an unpolished group of individuals seeking to follow Jesus Christ. WHAT IS THE BCM? The Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) exists to help students know Christ and grow in their faith through Bible study, worship, fellowship, missions, and much more. We desire to REACH students for Christ, CONNECT them with other believers (here in Lafayette and around the world), and STRENGTHEN both their personal relationship with Christ and the church. We want to serve you, however, whenever, and whatever you need no strings attached. We believe God has called us to live everyday in loving service to those around us, and we also believe that he is changing us into people who desire to love more and more all the time. DO I HAVE TO BE BAPTIST? This is a question we hear frequently. And the answer is NO, you do not have to be Baptist to be a part of the BCM. We welcome all regardless of their denominational preference or faith! We are supported by the Louisiana Baptist Convention and area Southern Baptist churches and affirm Baptist doctrine and theology, but anyone and everyone can be involved at the BCM. We have Baptists, Presbyterians, Non-Denominationals, Atheists, Muslims, Internationals, and more so its a pretty good bet youll find a place with us here. WHAT DOES THE BCM OFFER? We have REVOLUTION (a worship service) Tuesday nights @ the BCM. We begin @ 6 p.m. Noon Lunch is a FREE meal every Wednesday at 12 noon every regular week of the semester. Rain, Sleet, or Snow...Breakfast On-the-Geaux every Friday morning on the corner of Rex St. Small Groups is a way we build community within our group. We take hiking trips, play soccer, basketball, football, ping pong and any other sport you can think of, as well as go to conferences. If you want to know more you can check our webpage, events page, or contact us on Facebook. We would love to meet you and your friends!

Congratulations to Lafayette Church Without

Pray for them as they continue to reach their area for Christ.

Regional Sunday School Training Conference FBC Jennings Sat, Oct 5th
Register online at:

http://www.lbc.org/startsomethingnew/

ALASKA MISSIONS GARAGE SALE

Sat, Oct. 12 First, Lafayette

Pastor Appreciation Luncheon

1 - Suzzane (Mrs. Charles) Brunt, FBC Carencro 6 - Melissa (Mrs. Rodney) Chitwood, Bridge Fellowship 7 - Kristi (Mrs. Sam) Perry, East Bayou 9 - Luther Burney, First, Lafayette - Frank Pellissier, First, Amelia 11 - Andy Tribe, East Bayou 15 - Fred Davis, Open Door 17 - Paula (Mrs. Mike) Walker, East Bayou 19 - Marsha (Mrs. Charles) Gilder, Bayou Vista 21 - Tracy King, Westside - Martha (Mrs. Gary) Funderburk, East Bayou 23 - Darren Carpenter, Belle River - Rosalie Richardson, Retired 31 - Dennis Clark, First, Lafayette

Trainer for Louisiana:

[email protected], 318.448.3402 Training packets are available for each church in the association. Please come by the EBA office if you are interested in this material. DVDs and other resources are also available at: http://myhopewithbillygraham.org/