Christian Action Commission

Let payday lending bill die

Jimmy Porter

The Bible tells us, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” If I were being exploited, then I would want someone to help me resolve the unfairness.

This is why the Christian Action Commission, a ministry of the Mississippi Baptist Convention, urges our legislature to reject a proposed bill, HB 455, that enables payday lenders to charge usurious rates to people in need of a loan.

As a concerned citizen, I believe that when it comes to lending, there is a fine balance between preserving the entrepreneurial spirit of business ownership and… Read Full Article

Immigration Forum

http://www.christianaction.com/images/uploads/immigrationinvitation.pdf

immigrationinvitation.pdf

Payday Lending

Rob Chambers

Payday lending or check cashing businesses has recently received a lot of attention lately - both in the news and in the MS legislature.  A bill has passed in the MS House of Representatives and the MS Senate will be taking it up soon. 

Click here to send a message to your Senator on lowering rates and extending the time for payday loans in Mississippi.

Centered around the debate are the conditions or terms… Read Full Article

The Political Roads of Mississippi

Jimmy Porter

Yogi Berra, a former catcher of the New York Yankees, is known not
only for his prowess on the baseball field but also for his “Yogisms.” One
such “Yogism” states, “When you come to the fork in the road, take it.”
That statement might be the most accurate assessment of the state of politics
in Mississippi and in our nation.

The 2011 Legislative Session is barreling full steam ahead, tackling
such items as eminent domain, payday lending, the budget, pro life issues,
immigration, and redistricting. Early… Read Full Article

Cultural Demphasis of Christ in Christmas

Kelly Boggs

Lawsuits over the display of nativity scenes on public property and litigation over Christmas celebrations in government schools have been all the rage in recent years. The phrase “Merry Christmas” has even been the source of controversy.

This year has been relatively quiet on the litigation front. However, like a bad fruit cake, Christmas controversies never seem to go away completely.  Continue Reading Here

Source: Baptist Press

The ‘war’ on Christmas

Chris McDaniel

Experts disagree on whether a “war” on Christmas is actually waging within our culture. Nevertheless, no matter which side of the debate one accepts, a sad reality is becoming apparent with each passing year: despite our nation’s remarkable religious heritage, many of our citizens are now struggling with the message behind our most significant and special of holidays.  Continue Reading Here

Abortion survivor tells her story----for LIFE

Chris McDaniel

Last week, as part of a fund-raising event held for the Center for Pregnancy Choices of South Central Mississippi, Gianna Jessen, a 33-year-old abortion survivor, shared her touching story with a packed room of almost 400 people.

With her words, she celebrated the center and its mission to demonstrate Christ’s love to women and their families who happen to be facing an unplanned or crises pregnancy. To its credit, the CPC represents a life-affirming ministry whose mission is to save lives and secure futures. Continue Reading Here

Identifying Judicial & Congressional Districts, Plus Sample Ballot

Mississippi has numerous judicial district courts - circuit and chancery - and elections are held as a non-partisan election - meaning the candidates do not declare an affiliated political party. 

There are two maps below, one for Circuit Courts and one for Chancery Courts.  To find out which Mississippi Judicial District (circuit or chancery) you are in, locate the county on the respective map and identify the associated judicial district. 

Also, below these two maps is a map indicating the Congressional Representative Districts. To find out which Congressional District you are in, locate your location on… Read Full Article

Votes, Pills and Polls

Jimmy Porter

Pills and polls have a lot in common.  Probably ninety percent of the readers of this article take some sort of pill or pills.  The pill reveals that something is wrong in the human body but it has the potential to make the situation better.  The pill is an indicator but taken as prescribed, it can become part of the cure.  But if the pill is left in its container and never taken, then it means absolutely nothing.

Polls, like pills, come with many different forms, definitions and implications.  Poll may mean casting and registering of votes in… Read Full Article

MS Congressional Voter Guide

The Christian’s concern for citizenship is not a matter merely of understanding, but also of acting. The final test of our citizenship is not what we think and say, but what we do. Knowledge about our concerns should lead us to action.*

Thomas Jefferson, U.S. President and Chief Author of the Declaration of Independence said, “I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but… Read Full Article

The Yazoo Clay of Our Day

Rob Chambers

Whenever someone plans on building a house, the design and type of materials are always considered, but the foundation is always where the building begins.

The Bible talks about the foundation of a house and its correlation to one’s spiritual house.  The quality of a spiritual house depends on the spiritual foundation.  If one has a bad foundation they will have a house with structural problems.
In Mississippi many house foundations have been built on a type of soil called Yazoo clay.  Yazoo clay has a distinctive, yet destructive, property of expanding and contracting by as… Read Full Article

Evangelicals reject gay partners in immigration bill

Compiled by Tom Strode, Washington bureau chief for Baptist Press.

WASHINGTON (BP)--Southern Baptist ethicist Richard Land has joined other evangelical leaders in opposing an immigration reform proposal if it continues to treat homosexual partners the same as heterosexual married spouses.

The president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission signed onto a June 4 statement from the religious rights law firm Liberty Counsel taking exception to a same-sex partners provision in federal legislation being proposed by Sen. Charles Schumer, D.-N.Y.

The bill, which has yet to be introduced, would enable same-sex partners from overseas to become legal citizens of this country in the same way… Read Full Article

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

Rob Chambers

On a recent weekend vacation, my wife and I encountered what was not only a message for us but for others as well.  Throughout our short stay we saw old and new friends and made new acquaintances.  The common thread that ran throughout our conversations and experiences was the importance of hope and encouragement.

It’s difficult to encourage someone if you don’t have hope, and one thing that will erode a Christian’s hope in day-to-day living is negativity.  If someone is inundated with negativity, then it’s hard to ward off a despairing attitude.

It is very… Read Full Article

Jimmy Porter speaks on Choctaw Indian casino

Charlotte Graham of Laurel Leader-Call

Jimmy Porter, executive director of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board’s Christian Action was special guest at a meeting held to hear and discuss issues related to the proposed establishment of a casino in Jones County.

State Auditor Stacey Pickering, member of First Baptist Church Laurel, was also a guest presenter.  Click here to continue.

September Conference Addressing Homosexuality

In September, the Christian Action Commission of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board

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