The Good News Rolls at Rachel Sims

Before Thanksgiving I paid a visit to my friends and fellow missionaries at the Rachel Sims Baptist Mission in the Irish Channel of New Orleans. I had been in the area working with a pastor on some outreach ideas so I dropped by and chatted a while with Larry Miguez and Linda Middlebrooks (I got to meet Larry's mother too, she's a card). I had arrived on one of those "real life" days, the ones you never read about in the Baptist press. Some things weren't going as well as hoped, one of their semester missionaries was having car trouble, plans for an upcoming event were becoming more and more last minute, and frustration had set in. By the way, we missionaries have lots of days like this. This is why we go on and on about how much we appreciate your prayers. Anyway, if there's one thing that missionaries do for one another, its to bare one another's burdens. Its considered uncouth for us to vent to others so we get things off our chest to one another. Its very therapeutic and helps us get over the hump. Larry and Linda did get over the hump. God is good that way. In fact, I spoke with Linda earlier this week and she had very good news to share. Several children and youth had accepted Christ as their savior through the ministries of Rachel Sims in the two weeks since we had last spoken. Linda was excited about discipling these new Christians and shared some great ideas for future evangelism efforts. We work through all the hardships and frustration when all the wheels fall off so we can get to days like this. Growing the Kingdom is what it is all about and the work of Rachel Sims Baptist Mission plays an important part here in the New Orleans area.

Memories of Emma Lou Rhymes (1927-2007)

the old farm place ............ electric fence .................

my cousins and I scraping the frost from her old freezer to make Coke snow balls

......Unchal........ those pointy-tip glasses she wore back in the day

.... picking names for Christmas ..... that cat of hers that Daddy loved to torment

her collection of bells ....... her travel adventures with Aunt Hedy

.."Hello my Darlin'"..... coffee ............

..........her love for each and every member of her family ...

.....the interesting nurse related object scattered throughout the house

............that time my brother kicked her to make her stop snoring

.............her time working in Baton Rouge ...........

talking to her on the phone .... stories about growing up Daddy had "forgotten"

...her graduation from Alcorn .............

her positive spirit even as her health failed

We've Got Next

Jaime and I had the opportunity to spend the weekend in central Louisiana during this year's Crossover event. Crossover is the evangelistic blitz that precedes the Louisiana Baptist Convention (We got the idea from the SBC). Crossover '07 was only the second year for the event and despite the inclement weather, things were productive overall. The reason Jaime and I went to this year's Crossover is because the LBC is coming to New Orleans in 2008. This means that our area will be hosting the Crossover event. This is an exciting opportunity for the Baptist churches in the Greater New Orleans area to unite for a three day, area wide, evangelistic full court press. Although we are still in the process of forming our Crossover team, the ideas area already flowing. I believe that 2007 has been a year for prayer and preparation for what God wants to do and that 2008 will be the beginning of great things to come. Crossover '08, we hope, will be part of a great movement of God in our city and the surrounding area.

If Charlie Brown Grew Oranges

Pitiful isn't it. Some have said its cute but I can't help but feel sorry for it. I thought it would be cool to have a fruit tree in our backyard so I purchased a satsuma orange tree from Home Depot planted it back in the spring. I chose satsuma because we grow them in this part of the state, particularly down in Plaquemines Parish. It had a lot more branches when I planted it. However, as it bloomed and oranges began to form, all non-orange baring limbs died. Thus I was left with an orange three Charles Schultz would be proud of. If I wanted a conversation piece for the backyard I definitely got it in this sad looking satsuma. I hope it will survive "harvest" and bounce back this spring. I admit that I have to admire it for hanging on despite its current condition. I suppose that is why I can't help but find myself cheering the little guy on. Everyone loves and underdog.

The Best Artist You're Not Listening To

Jake Smith. Remember that name. In an industry that tries to pass off assembly line produced music-in-a-can as quality comes something real. In fact, Real is the title of Jake's debut album on Rockettown Records and its worth picking up. Jake's music has been described as "a fusion of funk, soul, R&B, and rock blend" with a distinct New Orleans area feel. There is a musical depth to Real that is usually missing in other Christian albums. The layers of sound and their presentation to the listener let you know you're hearing more than just a vocalist. Jake's talent as a song writer is clear in his lyrics as he goes below the surface and hits on themes that relate to real life. Real has good crossover potential and would feel right at home in many of today's music collections. I feel Jake Smith is a breath of fresh air and wish him and his band success. Keep it real Jake, your on the right track. Go to http://www.jakesmithmusic.com/ to purchase Real, learn more about Jake, and the band's tour schedule.

The Intense Prayer of the Righteous is Very Powerful. Jas 5:16

This past weekend's prayer walk was good, if not better than expected. In all, sixty-nine WMU ladies (and a few of us men) gathered together to lift up in prayer the area we designate as Zone 6. After an orientation on Thursday night, the ladies from Alabama spent Friday prayer walking the neighborhood around the building Faith Baptist had just purchased, had lunch at and prayer walked Tulane University, and visited and prayed for the Baptist Friendship House and Rachael Sims Baptist Center. Louisiana WMU joined the effort on Saturday and we put our feet to the street in six prayer areas within Zone 6. We even took the time to swing down to Carver Baptist Center to pray for their ministry as well as the new church plant, led by Kelly O'Conner, which meets in their building. Over 100 residence were personally prayed for and around 90 copies of God's Word were given out. Most importantly, however, is the fact that spiritual warfare has been waged against the powers that hold this zone in sin. I am excited to see what God will do as we build off of the foundation of prayer that has been laid.

Faith Takes Root

Even before the storm, Faith Baptist Church has been a congregation without a building. They could have found property must easier elsewhere in the city but they are committed to the community where God has placed them. And now, after a lot of searching and prayer, the members of Faith have been able to purchase a building at the corner of S. Claiborne and Fern. Once renovated, Faith's nomadic days will be behind them and they will have a set place from which to anchor their ministry. The timing of this purchase is truly a God thing because Faith sits right in the middle of Zone 6, the area of the city where a small army of WMU ladies will be prayer walking this weekend. We have the opportunity to quickly get on the field and begin the process of spiritually tiling the ground to make hearts ready for the Gospel. Celebrate with Pastor Tim Searcy and Faith Baptist as they look forward to being into their new building.

The Big One

This coming October 27 will be our fifth and largest WMU/BAGNO sponsored prayer walk. For this event, the Louisiana and Alabama WMU have come together to lift up a specific part of New Orleans in prayer. Early in the post Katrina process, we divided the association in to zones for better strategic focus and Alabama Baptist adopted what is known as Zone 6. This zone falls in a part of our association that needs to be rebuilt physically and spiritually. Zone 6 has only two evangelical churches and they are struggling greatly. This zone is the most like a foreign mission field out of any other in our association. We are having to start at zero in many ways. Therefore, this zone is in desperate need of prayer. The WMU of Louisiana and Alabama have responded to this need and will be putting their feet to the streets the weekend of the 27th. As an evangelism strategist, I can't see us moving forward in Zone 6 without first laying a foundation of prayer. This will be the beginning of the work that is to come.

Fall is in The Air

Here in South Louisiana about the only way we know Fall has arrived is because the calendar says so. The leaves don't change and cooler air usually just comes in spurts. However, this doesn't stop us from engaging in typical Fall activities like football and camping. Another Fall favorite our churches enjoy is to host a Fall Festival for their community. These either take the form of a Halloween alternative or a more traditional community event over the weekend. Regardless of what shape it takes, Fall Festivals are a great way for churches to meet their neighbors, build a positive relationship with the community, and share the Good News of Jesus Christ with the lost. As it stands right now, there will be around ten Fall Festivals in the New Orleans area this year and each church has their own spin on the event. In total, these events will impact a few thousand people from their respective communities, many who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus. Pray for these upcoming Fall Festivals and for those who will be attending. May Christ be lifted up and glorified during this season. I'll take Kingdom growth over cooler air any day.

Paying My Respects

Its a little known fact that visitors are not allowed out of the state of Wisconsin until they have made a pilgrimage to Lambeau Field in Green Bay. No fan base is more loyal and die hard than Packer fans. Even a lifelong Saints fan like myself has to admit this (they only edge us out by a little bit). I watched the local newscast my first night in Wisconsin and was amazed at how they tied almost every news story, even the weather, to the upcoming Packers - Bears game on Sunday. Wisconsin eats, sleeps, and breaths Packers football all year long. After all, they own the team. So I wasn't surprised when I was offered a trip to Lambeau Field and the Packers' Hall of Fame. If you're a fan of pro football, you really owe it to yourself to swing by Lambeau Field regardless of who you root for on Sundays in the Fall. The stadium is open year round and is one of the most impressive football venues I've visited. There's a lot of history and great football that's come out of Lambeau and its worth seeing. I got to see three of the four Vince Lombardi trophies (the first two weren't named for Vince), a site that eludes us Saints fans for now. There is also a lot of historic Packer memorabilia for the history buff. I didn't buy a cheese head while I was there, but I did parade around the stadium in my Drew Brees jersey just to make it clear where I call home.

Baptist Frontier Land

I just finished a week speaking at churches in the Bay Lakes Association in Wisconsin. This was my first time in Wisconsin and my first time to personally experience what its like to serve in a part of the country where evangelical Christianity is the minority. No Bible Belt up there. It was an eye opening experience that has helped reshape my view of ministry in a positive way. Being removed from the Baptist culture we experience here in the South is not necessarily a bad thing. The work is more difficult, but that type of trial blazing excites me. I only spoke in one church building the entire week I was there. Most churches were less than ten years old and met in storefronts, hotels, and even a converted pallet factory. Although the area has few churches, spread out over a large area, I still met several people who had answered God's call to participate in the rebuilding of New Orleans. In fact, I was greeted by and Operation NOAH Rebuild T-shirt as I entered the building of my very first event upon arriving in Wisconsin.

Casting the Vision for New Church Plants

On October 1 & 2, the Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans hosted a church planting vision tour which featured seven potential plant sites. Pastors from Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Maryland, and others came to hear directly from the strategist working on the plants and to see first hand the community where these efforts are being made. This event was different than the typical large group bus tour where individuals are asked to consider if and where God might lead them to plant a church. This tour started with seven actual proposals where the sites have been determined and demographic surveys conducted. This was the only tour that I've been on since Katrina that took and optimistic look at the devastation and real possibility of what God can and wants to do in the Greater New Orleans area. If you would like more info about these potential church plants and how you or your church and be involved, please get in touch with me. These church plants are a very important part of the spiritual transformation of our city.

Laughter - It Does The Body Good

I was hunched over my parent's kitchen table with tears running down my cheeks when I realized, "I've not laughed this hard in a long, long time." Jaime and I were visiting family and celebrating my grandmother's 80th birthday this past weekend. It was good to see all my aunts, cousins, second cousins, third cousins... you get the idea. After the festivities, it was back to my parents house where we visited around the kitchen table like good southerners. However, as the night grew old things began to turn, well... a bit silly. That's why I was hunched over the table crying. We laughed and laughed. It was wonderful. Since Katrina, laughter, real laughter, has been illusive. I get so use to the fact that life is still very hard in New Orleans and I'm lulled into thinking things are normal. I forget that life use to be easier, smiles more plentiful, and when the good times rolled we really had a blast. It takes being around people unaffected by the storm who have that spark in their eyes, that we in New Orleans have lost, to make you feel like a whole person again. This weekend was an important reminder of the immeasurable value of family and the joy they bring to your life.

Needs List (You've asked for it)

I get asked from time to time about specific items we could use in our ministry that churches and groups could provide. Due to the nature of my work and the situation in New Orleans, it was not easy to come up with a list at first. However, we've reached a point where such a list is practical and I've given it a permanent spot on my blog. It is on the right hand side of the screen and titled "Ministry Needs." Most of these items can be found at Lifeway stores or online at http://www.lifewaystores.com/. I've also included my address at the bottom of the page. These items will be used in all sorts of evangelistic events and activities throughout Greater New Orleans. Thank you in advance for all of your help in bringing the Gospel to the lost in our city.

A Gift of God's Word

After members attended one of our prayer walk events, the WMU of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Alexandria, LA decided to purchase 100 pocket New Testaments for us to use in our missions activities in the New Orleans area. The New Testaments are in an easy-to-read translation which makes them perfect for new believers or those interested in the claims of Jesus Christ. We will have many opportunities to give these out with the assurance that God's Word will not return empty, but will accomplish and prosper in the manner God sends it. A special thanks to the WMU of Emmanuel Baptist for the New Testaments and for your continued prayers for work God is doing throughout the New Orleans area.

13 Pallets at 3 A.M.

God showed His amazing hand of providence again this week as a major food service company donated all its leftover food from a recent expo. Now when I write that it was a lot of food, I am understating the fact. You should have seen the cuts of meat, boxes of pasta, cheese, sauces, vegetables, and even cheesecake. This donation of food went to Operation NOAH Rebuild to help feed the volunteers currently rebuilding homes in the New Orleans area. It may have taken us into the wee hours of the morning to load but it was worth it. This was indeed a blessing because NOAH was completing a move from their old volunteer village at the World Trade Center to their new location at Hopeview Baptist Church which has a functioning kitchen. One week prior and NOAH would not have been able to accept this donation. God's timing is perfect. Good eats to all you NOAH volunteers. (By the way, the photo above was the last of three truck loads just like this)

New Orleans: 2 Year Report

The Greater New Orleans Community Data Center has released its report on the status of New Orleans and the surrounding area in time for the second anniversary of Katrina. The report outlines progress and shortcomings in the recovery effort. Click the link below to read the report.

http://www.gnocdc.org/NOLAIndex/ESNOLAIndexAug07.pdf

A Much Needed Laptop

I would like to offer my sincere thanks to my Florida Baptist brothers and sisters for providing me with a band new laptop to assist in my day to day activities. Up to this point, I've not had a functioning computer to work with so the arrival of the laptop was an answer to prayer. My work takes me throughout a six parish area and the laptop was just what I needed as I try to stay on top of what God is doing in our churches. I've only had it for a little over a week and it has already been a tremendous blessing. Thanks also to David and Wanda Maxwell (David heads up Operation NOAH Rebuild) for thinking of me when approached by Florida Baptist about resources they could provide for the work in New Orleans and for receiving it at the mission celebration where it was presented.

The Hottest Camp I've Ever Been To

No really, the heat index was above 110 degrees and the camp's main building didn't have air conditioning. Despite the heat, youth from several of our Hispanic churches enjoyed a four day retreat before returning to school. The youth got to participate in swimming, soccer, low ropes challenge, and the camp's 300 ft. water slide. The camp was led by area pastors and featured the praise band from Good Shepherd Baptist Church. A big hand to David Rodriguez, pastor of Horeb Spanish Mission, for a great camp. I'm already looking forward to next year.

Lives Changed at Chinese Baptist Church VBS

One of the last Vacation Bible Schools of the summer was held at the New Orleans Chinese Baptist Church. About 35 volunteers from South Carolina came down to assist pastor Hong Fu in the church's VBS activities. On average, about 65 children attended each day and enjoyed Bible stories, crafts, games and refreshments. An inflatable water slide cooled the kids off on Wednesday much to their delight. However, the most important thing was the lives that were forever changed because of Jesus Christ. I had the privilege of speaking to the children about missions and even sharing the plan of salvation with a few. Pray for the ministry of the Chinese Baptist Church as they reach out to first and second generation Chinese living throughout the New Orleans area.