I received a shocking and overwhelming telephone call this past Wednesday. It was from a man and wife, very conservative Missionary Baptists, who live in Moss Bluff, a suburb of Lake Charles, Louisiana. There once was an ABA church in the west Lake Charles suburb of Westlake, but it closed a few years ago. They had been driving about an hour away to the Shiloh MBC in Vidor, TX. They are desperately searching for an arm of authority to start a sound, separate Missionary Baptist church in their area. They first reached my dad at home, and he took the message, and I called them back after services Wednesday night. We are supposed to have our first prayer meeting with them, Lord willing, on October 16th with a morning preaching service, lunch, and afternoon preaching service. My dad will bring the morning message and I am scheduled to preach the afternoon service.
The reality is, that although there have in the past, been several churches and missions in the S Louisiana area in cities such as the aforementioned Westlake, Lafayette, Kenner, Houma, and Bunkie, the only ABA churches that I am aware of from the TX line to the Baton Rouge/New Orleans are Liberty MBC in Jennings (about 40 miles E of Lake Charles), New Harmony (formerly Colonial) MBC in Baton Rouge, and Bethel MBC in New Orleans. The whole region is ripe for missionary work. It is widely known that Catholicism has a stranglehold on this area. My vision is that churches would be planted all over the region in Lake Charles, Lafayette, Kenner, Metarie, Houma, Thibadaux, Eunice, Crowley, Marksville, New Iberia, Morgan City, and many other small towns. Please pray for me and my dad as we work in the area, and if the Lord is placing a calling in your heart for Acadiana, please take this as the Macedonian call to "come over and help us."
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Do Constitutional Rights Apply to American Terrorists?
I am quite sure that this post will generate very heated debate, but it should cause some very serious consideration. On Friday, American-born Yemeni cleric, Anwar Al-Alauqi, a very high-ranking al-Queda operative was killed in an unmanned drone attack. It was so questionable that the Justice Dept. formulated a special, secret memorandum to authorize the killing.
This summary assassination raises some very vital legal issues. According to the Fifth Amendment Due Process Clause to the U.S. Constitution, part of the first ten amendments referred to as the Bill of Rights: "No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless upon a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury... nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law..." This simply means that at least, in its narrowest sense, that no American citizen can be summarily executed without at least a judicial court trial (It could also be argued that this applies to ALL who fall under American jurisdiction and not just citizens since this right is not qualified to apply only to "the people" but that is a subject for another discussion). There is an exception in "cases arising IN the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger..."; however, Al-Alauqi was not a member of the armed services, and therefore, not subject to this exception. Even Section III of Article III which defines treason provides that "No Person shall be convicted Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or ON CONFESSION IN OPEN COURT."
I know that most of us would like to see taxpayer dollars saved for those heinous criminals of which there is no question of their guilt. However, I am not concerned with Al-Alaqui or his fate (legally speaking), but it is my concern about the precedent that is being set regarding the rights of EVERYONE ELSE. For instance, what if it becomes illegal for Christians to use hate speech toward homosexuals or to similarly declare that abortion, according to the Bible is wrong? Would we want Christians exercising their formerly unquestionable First Amendment rights to free speech and religion, and their duty unto God to take a stand against sin, being put in prison without a trial? Further, if one Constitutional right is not held sacrosanct, then neither are any other right or provision of the Constitution safe.
You say this was a terrorist acting in a foreign country and that the rights of law-abiding American citizens have nothing to fear? It was just last week that North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue suggested that perhaps we should "suspend congressional elections" for 2012, and former Obama budget director Pete Orszag that perhaps the federal government should be governed by more "automatic policies and nonpoliticized commissions", so that we might defuse the gridlock so that our dire financial situation might be solved.
This summary assassination raises some very vital legal issues. According to the Fifth Amendment Due Process Clause to the U.S. Constitution, part of the first ten amendments referred to as the Bill of Rights: "No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless upon a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury... nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law..." This simply means that at least, in its narrowest sense, that no American citizen can be summarily executed without at least a judicial court trial (It could also be argued that this applies to ALL who fall under American jurisdiction and not just citizens since this right is not qualified to apply only to "the people" but that is a subject for another discussion). There is an exception in "cases arising IN the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger..."; however, Al-Alauqi was not a member of the armed services, and therefore, not subject to this exception. Even Section III of Article III which defines treason provides that "No Person shall be convicted Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or ON CONFESSION IN OPEN COURT."
I know that most of us would like to see taxpayer dollars saved for those heinous criminals of which there is no question of their guilt. However, I am not concerned with Al-Alaqui or his fate (legally speaking), but it is my concern about the precedent that is being set regarding the rights of EVERYONE ELSE. For instance, what if it becomes illegal for Christians to use hate speech toward homosexuals or to similarly declare that abortion, according to the Bible is wrong? Would we want Christians exercising their formerly unquestionable First Amendment rights to free speech and religion, and their duty unto God to take a stand against sin, being put in prison without a trial? Further, if one Constitutional right is not held sacrosanct, then neither are any other right or provision of the Constitution safe.
You say this was a terrorist acting in a foreign country and that the rights of law-abiding American citizens have nothing to fear? It was just last week that North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue suggested that perhaps we should "suspend congressional elections" for 2012, and former Obama budget director Pete Orszag that perhaps the federal government should be governed by more "automatic policies and nonpoliticized commissions", so that we might defuse the gridlock so that our dire financial situation might be solved.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Who Will Be #14?
What I'm asking is who will become the 14th member of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) of the NCAA?
University of Tennessee AD David Hart seems to have let the proverbial "cat out of the bag" and confirmed what has been swirling in rumors for months, even dating back to last year's conference realignment which saw Nebraska leave the Big 12 for the Big 10 and Colorado leave the Big 12 to join the newly rebranded PAC-12 along with Utah. It would seem odd if the SEC did not AT LEAST add one more member after Texas A&M of the Big 12 officially became the 13th effective July 1, 2012. It would also seem that the hand of the SEC has almost been forced after the ACC made the first move by adding Syracuse and Pittsburgh from the Big East Conference to expand to 14 teams.
It seems almost every school has been brought up by the media or in fan conversation: Oklahoma, Oklahoma St., and Missouri from the Big 12; Virginia Tech, Clemson, North Carolina, Florida St., and Georgia Tech of the ACC; West Virginia, Louisville, and future member TCU of the Big East; Rice, Houston, and East Carolina of Conference USA; and even Boise St. from the Mountain West Conference.
I'm of the opinion that the next team needs to be a premier team both in athletics and academics with a rich tradition. The one team that seems in my mind to most perfectly fit those criteria would be the University of Oklahoma. So who do YOU think the 14th member will be? Also, can you see the SEC further expanding to 16 teams or more?
University of Tennessee AD David Hart seems to have let the proverbial "cat out of the bag" and confirmed what has been swirling in rumors for months, even dating back to last year's conference realignment which saw Nebraska leave the Big 12 for the Big 10 and Colorado leave the Big 12 to join the newly rebranded PAC-12 along with Utah. It would seem odd if the SEC did not AT LEAST add one more member after Texas A&M of the Big 12 officially became the 13th effective July 1, 2012. It would also seem that the hand of the SEC has almost been forced after the ACC made the first move by adding Syracuse and Pittsburgh from the Big East Conference to expand to 14 teams.
It seems almost every school has been brought up by the media or in fan conversation: Oklahoma, Oklahoma St., and Missouri from the Big 12; Virginia Tech, Clemson, North Carolina, Florida St., and Georgia Tech of the ACC; West Virginia, Louisville, and future member TCU of the Big East; Rice, Houston, and East Carolina of Conference USA; and even Boise St. from the Mountain West Conference.
I'm of the opinion that the next team needs to be a premier team both in athletics and academics with a rich tradition. The one team that seems in my mind to most perfectly fit those criteria would be the University of Oklahoma. So who do YOU think the 14th member will be? Also, can you see the SEC further expanding to 16 teams or more?
WARNING!!!
Before you continue reading, beware! If you are searching for a blog where the only subjects will be those that are popular, that is politically correct, where I will only preach to the choir, that steers clear of any controversy, that plays it safe, that does not "major on the minors", that does not beat dead horses, or that tickles ears, you have come to the WRONG place! If telling or practicing the truth from God's Word offends, then so be it!
Before you continue reading, beware! If you are searching for a blog where the only subjects will be those that are popular, that is politically correct, where I will only preach to the choir, that steers clear of any controversy, that plays it safe, that does not "major on the minors", that does not beat dead horses, or that tickles ears, you have come to the WRONG place! If telling or practicing the truth from God's Word offends, then so be it!
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