The Bridge is published by Barnabas Center Ministries Volume 12 Number 9 September 2015 THE FREE - TAKE ONE BRIDGEBuilding Community in Shreveport/Bossier SEE YOU AT FIRST PRIORITY’S CITYWIDE EVENT Page 2 THE BRIDGE - Building Community in Shreveport/Bossier Contents Barnabas Center Ministries LAFF’s Louisiana Cultural Indicators Report...................…………...3 Publisher of THE BRIDGE Thinking Clearly about Science - Metamorphosis.................................4 It is our passion to encourage believers to take action on their Welcome - Neil Schwartz, Agudath Achim’s new hazzan faith. We pray that this will result in the message of Christ being 5 local Dave Ramsey FPU classes scheduled for September lived and shared boldly in our community. All submissions become the property of BCM. We reserve the Operation Christmas Child - LSU Quilt Auction to benefit OCC.......6 right to refuse to print any editorial, letter, advertisement or other See You at the Pole and First Priority’s CITYWIDE Event.............8-9 submission which seems to contradict the mission of this publica- U.S. Bible Museum Partners with Israeli Archaeologists tion. Editorial viewpoints and opinions expressed are those of the Welcome to Scripture Engagement at BibleGateway..........................11 respective advertiser, columnist or writer and do not necessarily reflect those of the Publisher or Editorial Staff. Church and Business Directory………………..........................…...12-13 Barnabas Center Ministries is a 501(c)3 non-profit organiza- Support Group Information..................................................................14 tion. Donations are greatly appreciated. Advertising packages Church and Community Calendar………….......................................15 are available for your business or ministry. KBCL Radio Schedule...........................................................................16 To contact our office call 318-861-1071 or email us at kbcl_ra- [email protected]. Our studio is at 316 Gregg St. in Shreveport, Ads are not listed in the contents; look through the paper LA 71104. and see what else is going on. KBCL Radio - StReaming at kbclthebridge.org fRom 6:00 a.m. tiLL midnight JOIN US FOR A ONE-DAY MARRIAGE-CHANGING EVENT. October 17 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Norris Ferry Community Church in Shreveport QUALITY SPEAKERS, LUNCH, AND ENTERTAINMENT Powerful, practical, and worth the investment! For more information and registration go to istilldosimulcast.com. Questions?? Contact Luke Pearson at 525-3980 or by email at [email protected] THE BRIDGE - Building Community in Shreveport Bossier Page 3 The Louisiana Family Forum (LFF) recently released a comprehensive analysis of life in Louisiana entitled “The Louisiana Cultural Indicators Report (LCIR).” The LCIR was modeled after former Reagan adviser, Bill Benett’s 1994 Index of Leading Cultural Indicators. Bennett held that even as we measure economic data as a measure of societal fitness, so we must also consider key social indi- cators. Decades of Louisiana data has been compiled and il- lustrated through charts, graphs and snapshots. The LCIR tracks Louisiana’s progress in the area of health, crime, family, education, poverty, welfare, government and busi- ness. For 2015, Louisiana has reason to celebrate: : 1. The high school graduation rate is at an all-time high of 83 percent. 2. 4-year college degrees have increased 148 percent since 1970. 3. 25 percent of Louisiana K-12 students participate in some form of educational choice, saving taxpayers $1.7 billion. 4. Since 1969 the percentage of families in poverty has declined by 35 percent. Troublesome trends include: 1. Out-of-wedlock births jumped 490 percent, since 1969. 2. Only 36 percent of teens grow up in intact married biological families. 16 percent of black teens with married parents. 3. Louisiana has the third highest HIV infection and syphilis rate in the U.S., second in chlamydia and highest rate of reported cases of gonorrhea. This document is Louisiana Family Forum’s invitation to explore solutions for struggling families. LFF has demonstrated that when elected officials, churches and non-profits cooperate, families grow and thrive. This extensive, 60 page report covering many other topics can be found at http://mylff.lafamilyforum.org/. See the LCIR page on adoption – page 14 – #Untilleverychildhasahome, #only70togoLa! The statistical evidence is indisputable! Family works! September 19 - November 1 Kick-off Rally September 19th at 6:30 p.m. Loyola Athletic Complex off Clyde Fant Parkway Keynote Speaker: Ramona Trevino [email protected] 40daysforlifesb.com Page 4 THE BRIDGE - Building Community in Shreveport Bossier Institute which also promotes the idea of intelligent design. By going to Defending the Faith - Linking Culture with Truth the website, metamorphosisthefilm.com you can link to a YouTube trailer or you can buy the DVD. Material such as this should be given a wide showing especially to developing minds who are learning how to think Thinking Clearly about Science critically about such subjects. In the film, first the process of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly is outlined. Metamorphosis If you recall the biology of this, first a caterpillar eats and eats and Stephen R. Patton, M.D. becomes very large. Next, the caterpillar attaches itself to the bottom of a leaf or something and hangs upside down. Then it becomes a chrysa- Last month I addressed the mindset used by naturalists who believe lis. Inside the chrysalis the old caterpillar body essentially liquefies, then that there are no possible explanations for the world around us other than transforms the old parts in an amazingly complex and intricately timed material processes. God is ruled out ahead of time. They claim that sci- process. This transformation involves thousands of biochemical and me- ence cannot allow for any supernatural explanations and operate under a chanical steps. The end result is a butterfly. But if even one of the steps philosophy of science termed “methodological naturalism”. That think- inside the chrysalis misfires, no butterfly, just a caterpillar gone bad. So ing is okay when it comes to the day-to-day workings of nature but not to what? Well, caterpillars can’t reproduce. Only butterflies can reproduce. research on the subjects of the origin of the universe, origin of life, or the So to propagate, a caterpillar either becomes a butterfly through this pro- discussion about creation vs evolution. Unless a Creator’s involvement is cess or the species goes extinct. Evolutionists cannot explain how a slow arbitrarily ruled out by this defective mindset before considering the facts, and step-by-step process of thousands of steps could develop by trial and God is clearly in the picture. error into a butterfly when all of the steps are needed to make the first but- Question: How did human beings come to be? Answer: Either they terfly. Evolution cannot produce a butterfly because any failed step in the evolved through natural processes or they were created. If you can think chrysalis produces nothing. In the eyes of a creationist, the answer to this of another alternative to those two considerations you are to be congratu- problem is quite simple. Evolution could not possibly have made but- lated as no one else has ever been able to do so. Creation or evolution terflies, but an Intelligent Designer could have designed the process so it exhausts the possibilities when it comes to explaining how we humans worked perfectly the first time. God once reminded the prophet Jeremiah came to be. But If I could show you that the evolutionary process can- about his direct and personal involvement in his development. Jeremiah not explain the biological complexity of life then only creation is left to 1:5 says, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were explain it. Even one example is sufficient to break the chain of evolution born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”NIV that naturalists use to explain how human life came into existence. Logi- cally, the syllogism goes this way: A or B. Not A, therefore B; Evolution For more information please visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/RTB- or Creation. Not evolution, therefore creation. Shreveport-La-Chapter/458206870872208?ref=hl or email Shreveport@ As an example, let’s consider the process of metamorphosis and how but- reasons.org terflies might have come into existence. Could they have evolved through Dr. Patton is a Christian apologist, practicing physician in Shreveport a gradual step by step process? Metamorphosis is the subject and name and member of Broadmoor Baptist Church. of a DVD produced by Illustra Media and is promoted by The Discovery Thank You On June 20, 2015 the Takin It To The Streets, Inc community outreach team conducted our annual summer event to over 2000 Shreveport/Bossier resi- dents. The success of this event was due to the hard work, con- Monday, September 21 tributions and service of our team members, sponsors, do- nors, partners and friends. Thank you for your service and unselfish giving to help those that need most. Thank you for believing in the purpose in which we are called and thank you for allowing our Lord to touch your heart with a spirit of giving that allows us to conduct our community outreach events that uplift, revive, refresh and pour into the lives of so many a spirit of hope. We are grateful that you share in the experience with us as we “take it to the streets.” Pastor Ron Hampton Founding President www.taketostreets.com THE BRIDGE - Building Community in Shreveport Bossier Page 5 Shreveport-Bossier Rescue Mission celebrates 60 years of Transforming Diamonds in the Rough Featuring New York Times Best- Selling Author Andy Andrews Andy’s life was a typical American story until the age of 19 when he lost both parents. Within a short span, he found himself homeless and lacking direction. During this time, Andy rose above his circumstances to publish his best-seller “The Traveler’s Gift”.