Dogs Rock The House...Earl Shives!

Last Tuesday night, July 24, New Orleans was privileged to be a concert stop for some of the most influential artist in Christian rock. The Lost Dogs, along with local talent Mike Indest and Eddie Parrino, took to the stage at The Neutral Ground coffee house in Uptown. A small crowd, mainly of locals, came out to enjoy the coffee, music, and interaction with the bands. Mike and Eddie's sets were really good and I encourage you to show'em some love and check them out. It's worth it. The Dogs put on a great set with fan favorites like 'Bullet Train,' 'No Room For Us,' and 'Imagine That' as well as a few songs from their latest album, "The Lost Cabin and The Mystery Trees." Everyone hung out after the show to visit with the band, buy merchandise, get autographs, and ask those burning questions like, "When is The Choir getting back in the studio" and "What's next for the 77's." Bottom line, it was a really fun evening of music and I think we all went home hoping for a return visit next year.

Ala. WMU Show Support for New Orleans

Jaime and I had the privilege of leading some sessions during the Alabama WMU State Leadership Conference during the weekend of July 21-23. We were able to share stories, give testimony, and give details about the work God is doing in the Greater New Orleans area. After the evening worship on Saturday night, we took part in a New Orleans themed fellowship complete with shrimp etoufee, beignets, and coffee. Sunday, we launched the prayer initiative for the zone within the city that Alabama Baptist have adopted. It was a wonderful weekend and Jaime and I were delighted to be invited to participate. We look forward to our partnership with Alabama Baptist, especially the WMU.

Lost Dogs Live At The Neutral Ground

Some News From Down The Road

Highway 23 leads to the end of the world, at least as far as this Louisianian is concerned. Down at the end of Plaquemine Parish is the town of Port Sulphur and Port Sulphur Baptist Church where Lynn Rodrigue is pastor. Lynn has the honor (at least we'll call it that) of pastoring the southern most church in our association. Look on a map and you'll see why. Lynn also has the honor of being the most isolated pastor in our association but it hasn't slowed him down. On a recent visit to the area, Lynn was able to show me some of the progress being made in and around Port Sulphur. Lynn estimates that they may be able to get into their new building within one to two months. You should see the grin on Lynn's face every time he mentions that building. Understand that Port Sulphur is only a few miles away from where Katrina made landfall and that nothing was left in its wake for nearly 45 miles. I also got to see the storage buildings (the photo above) the church is constructing for residence of FEMA trailers. This is a tremendous ministry to the 3000 + residence still crammed into these small trailers with all of their belongings. Continue to pray for Lynn, his family, and Port Sulphur Baptist Church as they minister to their community.

One of My Favorite Things

I love R.A. Camp! For those of you who don't know, R.A.s (Royal Ambassadors) is a Southern Baptist program for grade school boys with an emphasis on godly virtues and missions. I've developed a relationship with Eugene and Debi Morris, managers of Judson Baptist Retreat Center, and have the opportunity to be the featured missionary each summer at a different camp they host. This summer it was R.A. camp and I had a blast. I grew up in R.A.s and currently lead the R.A. chapter at our church. God blessed me in a special way this year when a boy named Larry accepted Christ during one of my mission sessions. That was a first. Larry lived in the lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans until Katrina but now he and his family are in Pineville (central Louisiana). It's amazing how God brings people together to accomplish His will. Here I was 100 miles away from New Orleans and I have the opportunity to lead a displaced New Orleans resident to Christ. Amazing.

New Doors Are Opening

Thanks to the work of my friend Don Snipes, Operation NOAH Area Manager from the Southern Baptist Convention of Texas, a new work has been discovered. Don was able to build a relationship with a lady named Doris who was in need of home repairs due to Katrina. Through that relationship, Doris, her daughter, and granddaughter were led to faith in Christ. Now, Doris and her daughter are anxious to grow in the Lord. Just so you know, I usually have to ask about starting a Bible study at a particular location. In Doris' case, she offered her home as if it were the next logical step. Not only that, but she asked me how we could "get this (the Gospel) to the children and youth in this neighborhood." This is a missionary's dream. This past week, with the help of a volunteer team, we were able to spend a week ministering at and from Doris' still unfinished home. We prayer walked every street in her neighborhood, held a community cookout, and conducted a two day Kid's Club. This is only the beginning. Through these activities, we found several people in the area that were interested in attending the home Bible study once it begins. Don't you want a Doris or two in your church?

A Week in El Salvador

Jaime and I just returned from a mission trip to El Salvador. We, along with three others from our church, spent seven days in the city of San Salvador and the surrounding area working with Vida Neuva Baptist Church. We had the opportunity to share Christ with many people through one-on-one witnessing, Christian movies, kid's clubs, and speaking in public schools. It was a very productive week both in terms of the Gospel being shared and in personal and spiritual growth. Thank you for your prayers while we were away.

Virtual Prayer Walk Comming Soon

Thanks to the efforts of Media Ministry department of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, our WMU/BAGNO prayer walks will soon be featured online. Those wanting to lift the New Orleans area up in prayer will be able to log on to the Internet from anywhere in the world and take a virtual prayer walk of the many places we are focusing on during 2007. Check back for an update with the web address where you can access this information.

Prayer Warriors on the Move

April 21 saw the second of six WMU/BAGNO sponsored prayer walks. The Lord increased our numbers from the previous prayer walk as 58 men, women, and children took to the streets of New Orleans to lift up three churches and their neighborhoods in prayer. Each group that went out experienced unique pockets of New Orleans culture and saw the Spirit move in people's lives. The team was able to pray for the needs of several individuals and families and one person made a profession of faith in Christ. These prayer walks have not only blessed the churches and neighborhoods where they take place but they have also paved the way spiritually for the Gospel to be shared more effectively. How will God have you pray for the New Orleans area?

Taking Prayer To The Streets

On February 21, we held our first BAGNO/WMU sponsored prayer walk in the neighborhoods of three of our churches. This was the first of six to be held throughout the year. The churches involved were Grace Baptist Church in Bywater, Evangelistic Baptist Church in the Seventh Ward, and Good News Baptist Church currently serving in Destrahan. Twenty-two from around the state participated in the walks and it was clear that God is moving in the hearts and lives of people in the New Orleans area.

An Undate...Finally

I admit I got myself into a mess trying to write longer blog entries. I usually don't have the time to write at length and I should not have started. So I've removed the first two parts of a three part stroy that I now realize I won't finish and have gone back to short and simple. Sorry.

Change Is Still A Good Thing

Sometimes when God speaks we hear but do not listen. Been there, done that. In fact, my latest attempt not to listen to God was very recent. Since Katrina, I have been praying and looking and praying and searching and praying and seeking council and praying and praying and praying for God's clear direction regarding service in New Orleans. Yes, even missionaries struggle with knowing where and how they are to serve Christ. For the past three months, I have be setting up the volunteer village (I previously referred to it as a base camp) for Operation NOAH Rebuild. This volunteer village gig provided my Katrina weary mind, body and spirit with an easy street assignment for the next two years. However, my selfish desire to take it easy did not match up with God's call for greater action. I found myself at odds with God. This is never a good place to be. I had to surrender to the task for which God called me to fulfill. Therefore, I am currently in transition into an evangelism and church planting role in the New Orleans area. I could not be more excited. This has long been my heartbeat and through God's perfect timing, I now have the opportunity to serve Christ the way I'm wired. So once again, change enters my life and its not just a good thing, its a God thing.

One Family At A Time

With each passing day, Operation NOAH Rebuild becomes more of a presence in the neighborhoods of New Orleans and St. Bernard Parish. A few thousand volunteers have already been on the ground working on devastated homes this summer and through them, Christ is having a positive impact on our city. Many see the vast extent of the damage and ask me if the work that is being done is really worth it in the end. Will these neighborhoods come back? Will New Orleans ever recover? Is this all for nothing? Seeing the devastation each and every day, I understand these concerns and questions. I think the key is to look beyond the physical structures of the houses and see the families in need. I've wrote before that Operation NOAH Rebuild is as much a Kingdom building project as it is a project to rebuild houses. Housing is one of our most basic needs and Operation NOAH Rebuild has the opportunity to meet that need in a big way and give Christ the honor and glory for it all. As we lift Jesus up He will draw all men to Himself. If we are faithful to plant seeds while we toil with the hammer, the Holy Spirit will be faithful to reap in the harvest. As houses are rebuilt, the Kingdom will advance until New Orleans is like a city shining on a hill. Don't think it could happen? Through the power of Christ it can be accomplished one family at a time.

Change Is A Good Thing

Okay, I know, It's been a while since I last left a post. In my defense a lot has been going on and now that the dust has settled, I can tell you about it. I'll pass over all the boring details and get to the point. In an effort to help the city of New Orleans and the surrounding area recover from hurricane Katrina, the North American Mission Board has begun Operation N.O.A.H. Rebuild. N.O.A.H. stands for New Orleans Area Hope and its mission is to rebuild 1000 homes and 20 churches in the New Orleans Area over the next two years. This God-sized project is headed by local leadership and will utilize 50,000 volunteers. Part of the local leadership includes yours truly. I have taken a temporary assignment for the next two years to be the base camp manager for Operation N.O.A.H. Rebuild. The base camp is located at the New Orleans World Trade Center at the end of Canal Street and will house and feed up to 500 volunteers at a time. This is an exciting time for Christians in our city as we have the opportunity to break through barriers that were torn down by the storm. Not only will we be rebuilding homes, we will be building the Kingdom of God through lives changed forever by the grace of Christ.

This Party's Over

About a week ago, New Orleans wrapped up its first Mardi Gras since Hurricane Katrina. This years carnival season was smaller in every way. Fewer parade days, fewer parades and fewer people lining the streets quickly clued everyone in that this Mardi Gras was different. Not to mention some parades rolled right passed huge piles of debris yet to be removed. Mardi Gras is part of the cultural makeup of New Orleans. Why the city celebrates carnival is something unknown and misunderstood by most outside the New Orleans area. Despite the deep roots of Mardi Gras among the people, the decision to hold the event this year was controversial. Some believed that Mardi Gras was a needed and necessary part of rebuilding the city and offered a welcome distraction from the rebuilding efforts. Others felt such a celebration was ill-timed, diverting valuable resources away from recovery and sending a false perception that things were fine in New Orleans. Whatever the opinion, Mardi Gras 2006 rolled on. Now that the last parade float has been put away for another year and the streets swept somewhat clean of beads, life is back to normal as we now define it.

Hurry Up And Wait

If you enjoy waiting, raise your hand. That's what I thought. As for the rest of us, we'd rather get in a fist fight than sit around and wait because at least there is a foreseeable outcome. Those of us who are back in the city have had to become accustom to the waiting game. It's an unavoidable fact of life. We wait on the mail. Just the other day Jaime and I got a Christmas card from her dad and step-mom, three weeks after the fact. What made it funny was the phrase "Don't open till Christmas" written to the side of our address. Like we could wait 11 more months to open the crazy thing. We wait in line. That's nothing new but you should see these lines. Get to your favorite restaurant early and you might only have to wait an hour for a table. We wait in traffic. Do we ever wait in traffic! Two and a half to three hour commutes are still the norm. We wait for repairs and improvements on our homes. Supplies are in high demand and contractors are spread thin. We have a crew that's entering their third week of laying floors in our new house. We wait on the government. We wait on FEMA. We wait on the mayor and city council to get on with it. We wait, wait, wait. All this waiting can give me a headache. I'd take an aspirin but I'd have to wait in line at the store to buy it.

A New Home

Jaime and I are happy to announce that the Lord has blessed us with our first house. We recently closed on a house in LaPlace, a town about 30 miles west of New Orleans. Jaime and I are one of just many families forced to relocate following the wake of hurricane Katrina. In this way, this house is a double blessing. Not only is it our first house but it will be the last move we will have to make since the storm. For those that are counting, it will be move number five. Jaime and I look forward to getting settled in and having some sense of normalcy return to our lives. We appreciate everyone's prayers as we searched for the home God would provide.

Christ is all the Christmas New Orleans has

I checked the calendar the other day and it seems we're having Christmas this year. When all of your planning, thinking, and doing revolves around rebuilding and starting over, things like Christmas sneak up on you. I love Christmas and anxiously look forward to it each year. This year, Christmas has been an afterthought for many and another reminder of just how much this city and it's citizens have lost. What is usually a season of joy has been a point of depression for many. True, there are a few lighted trees here and there, but the majority of the city remains unchanged as people try to put there lives back together. New Orleans is a city that has had the commercialism of Christmas stripped away. All that's left is a baby bedded down among livestock, born to a poor family with no place to lay their head and soon to be displaced far from home. In a city desperately looking for hope, it will not be found in it's mayor, city council, state government, FEMA, or even generous people, but in our God and Savior humbly in a manger, vulnerable on a cross, and victorious from the grave. Christ is the only hope for New Orleans and this Christmas season that message has never rang more true.

Why I started this blog

On August 29, 2005, hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans. In a matter of a few hours, my wife and I lost nearly everything we owned including our home. One of the things that I will never forget about the early days after Katrina was the anxiety of not knowing where your friends and loved ones where located and if they were alright. People from around the nation were wanting to hear from Jaime and I but did not know how to get in touch. I realize now just how important it is to keep the lines of communication open. Our personal relationships are some of the most precious possessions Jaime and I have and are something that wind and flood can't take away. All that said, I decided that this blog would be a good way to post updates about life and ministry in New Orleans, in both good times and bad.