Tuesday we (the association) sold some unused church property to a bank that is wanting to expand. Freddie Arnold and I signed the papers and made BAGNO a little money which will be re-invested in more churches.

At 11:30 a couple of hundred pastors of all denominations met for lunch at Celebration on Transcontinental to meet and hear Josh McDowell. We also heard from Gene Mills of the Louisiana Family Forum, and enjoyed some terrific around-the-table fellowship. But the star of the morning was the crawfish etoufee the ladies of the church served. Definitely not your typical cold ham and peas.

Gene Mills gave us two memorable quotes. “Governor Earl Long used to say that when he died he wanted to be buried in St. Bernard Parish so he could continue to be active in politics.”

“People are more interested in studying the powerful to learn how to dominate the world than studying the meek to learn how to inherit the earth.”

Gene heads up a coalition of pastors known as PRC Compassion which has poured hundreds of manhours and untold thousands of dollars of resources into this area. His Family Forum monitors and advises the state legislature on issues pertaining to the family. Their website is www.lafamilyforum.org.

Host pastor Dennis Watson said, “I have two things to put before you. This Saturday at the New Orleans Arena, Anne Graham Lotz brings her ‘Just Give Me Jesus’ crusade to town. It’s for men and boys too, not just the ladies.”

“Second, next Tuesday night, August 29, a city-wide prayer rally will be held at the First Baptist Church of New Orleans at 7 pm. We’ve got Fred Luter speaking and George Huff singing, and a lot of you leading in prayer times. Frankly, we’re trying to get President Bush and Governor Blanco, too.”

Dennis spied FBC pastor David Crosby and said, “David, want to add anything?” “Yes! Come early to get a good seat. We’re looking for a houseful!”

Dennis looked around the room and said, “The greatest miracle I’ve seen since Katrina is the coming together of our pastors. Someone said unity is not a result of revival but a precursor to revival.”

Josh McDowell has been speaking to youth groups for 46 years and may well have addressed more than any person on the planet. He had something to say to us today about the children in our homes and churches.

“Think of an iceberg,” he said, “with most of its bulk unseen. You and I see a child’s behavior, but that’s just the tip. Most of the books written on youth today deal with their behavior. But this shows a poor understanding.”

A person’s behavior is based on his values. But where do the values come from? From his beliefs. And where do his beliefs originate? “I struggled with this for years,” Josh said. “And then, one day it came to me. What causes a young person to believe is relationships.”

Relationships lead to beliefs. Beliefs form our values. Our values drive our behavior.

Josh cited several scriptures showing the connection of relationship with behavior. “I am constantly aware of your unfailing love (relationship) and I have lived according to your truth (behavior).” (Ps. 26:3) “Teach me your ways O Lord that I may live according to your truth (behavior) for your love for me is very great (relationship).” (Ps. 86:11,13)

“It’s the same with your children,” McDowell said. To get them to walk in our way, we must build a strong relationship with them. “Truth without relationship leads to rejection. Rules without relationship leads to rebellion.”

When John D. Rockefeller interviewed a prospect for an important position, he gave him 3 tests, Josh said. He took him golfing and gave him every opportunity to cheat. If he will cheat at something as meaningless as golf, put him down as untrustworthy. Second, he took him to a fine restaurant and observed his manners. This individual would be representing Rockefeller among powerful and refined people. He must do it well. Third, he observed the man’s relationship with his family. If he had a great relationship with his wife and children, he made a better employee.

“From the moment a baby is born,” Josh said, “all research–every bit of it!–shows that the infant’s brain has been hardwired to connect in relationships. It is built for connections with others, it needs them.”

The unfortunate thing is that Katrinas occur every day between parents and their children. And it wipes the kids out. Two important truths, Josh said.

One. Build a loving, intimate relationship with your child or they will walk away from your truth. Two. You must model that truth in the presence of your child or 90% will walk away.

“Pattern your life after mine and learn from those who follow our example.” (Philippians 3:17)

A child raised in a one-parent family is 30 percent more likely to develop a problem with alcohol and drugs and violence. A child raised in a two-parent household but with a poor relationship with his father is 70 percent more likely. But if the child has two parents and a good relationship with them, he is 94 percent less likely to get into drugs and alcohol and violence.

The home with poor relationships between parents and child does not prepare the child for dealing with stress later in life. Josh said, “A child growing up without a loving relationship with his father faces a Katrina every day of his life.” He added, “Dads don’t have to be perfect, just real.”

Josh told of the day he spoke at a high school assembly where the Goths (teens in all black, with spiked hair, tattoes, etc) usually broke up the meeting and frightened the speakers away. This time, these odd youths stood 10 feet away, staring at Josh as he spoke. When the meeting ended, the ringleader rushed up and stuck his face into Josh’s. He had no idea what was about to happen. The kid said, “Mr. McDowell, my father never once hugged me or told me he loved me.” Then he threw his arms around Josh and buried his face in his neck and wept like a baby. Josh said, “Since that time, I have never met a Goth of which this was not true.”

Josh spoke of his relationship with President George W. Bush. The president himself told Josh this. “Someone once asked my father what was his greatest accomplishment. After all, he had been ambassador, head of the CIA, vice-president, and so on. Dad didn’t hesitate. He said, ‘My children still come home.'” Bush looked at Josh and said, “You know what my father’s love did for me? It set me free to fail.” Which Josh said is so profound one needs to meditate on it. The father’s love prepares the child to face life’s disappointments.

Toward the end of the session, Josh said, “When my children were younger and at home, if their behavior was out of line, here’s what I would do. I would get him aside and ask three questions. After that, he would do just about anything I asked.”

“First, I would say: ‘Do you know that I love you?” (Yes, Dad.)

“Second, Do you know that I love your mother?” (Yes, Dad.)

“Third. “When you get married and have a family, do you want what I have with my children and my wife?” (Yeah, Dad.)

“Then, son, don’t do this anymore.”(referring to the forbidden behavior.)

“All three questions are relational,” Josh said. “But if my kids do not want what I have with my family, I’m in trouble.”

Finally, he said, “I’ve never heard Hugh Hefner mention his father. But I heard him say on television once that ‘I knew my mother loved me, but she never told me. So, I had to learn about love from the movies.'”

Later in the afternoon, Pastor Dennis Watson and I swapped e-mails in which I thanked him for hosting such a pivotal session with this key leader. Dennis shared something about his church which I rejoice in and know you will too.

“Last year on the third weekend of August, we had 2051 in worship. That was 1810 at the Airline Drive location and 241 at the Transcontinental site. One of our goals we set at the beginning of the year was to build our congregational attendance back to what it was pre-Katrina at the Airline campus, since most of the other congregation left the city after the hurricane. This past weekend at our Transcontinental campus, we had 1925 in worship attendance, and an additional 31 in LaPlace.”

What makes this remarkable is that the Airline campus took massive flooding and is costing millions of dollars to repair, so their multiple services are held strictly on the Transcontinental campus (previously Crescent City Baptist Church). The LaPlace location he’s referring to is the campus of the Woodland Community Church which is merging with Celebration, since so many of their congregation have not moved back and the attendance has dwindled to seriously low numbers. This dynamic congregation, Celebration, modeled after Willow Creek in many ways, will soon have locations on Airline, Transcontinental, in LaPlace, and in Arabi at the old FBC site. We rejoice in the way God is using them.