• Devout Muslims have a sacred responsibility, according to the command of Allah through his prophet Muhammad, to “slay the idolaters wherever you find them (Sura 9:5).”  Over 100 verses in the Koran call for the death of infidel Christians and Jews.  We have seen the tragic fruit of this ideology both on 9/11 and at Fort Hood.  Islam is not, in fact, a religion of peace but of violence, death and war.

• Islam, through the example of Muhammad, sanctions the marriage of girls who are but children.  Muhammad himself began having sex with his youngest wife Aisha when she was just nine years old (Bukhari, Vol. 8).  Just last week, a 12-year-old girl in Saudi Arabia went to court to divorce her 80-year-old husband.  In the West, these are acts of pedophilia and utterly at odds with the Christian principle that the sexual purity of young females is to be protected until they are mature enough to voluntarily and freely enter into marriage.

• The practice of honor killings is widespread in the Islamic world.  According to the U.N., over 5,000 women a year are brutally murdered under the flag of Islam, in many cases because they have brought “dishonor” to their families by becoming the tragic victims of rape.  The “horrid” practice of honor killings sadly has come to the U.S.  A Muslim husband decapitated his wife in New York, while a Muslim father in Texas shot his two teenage daughters to death in the back of a taxi cab and another Muslim father in Arizona ran his daughter down with the family SUV.  The crime in the latter two cases was that their daughters had become too “Westernized.”  This practice is utterly at odds with the Christian teaching that fathers are to nurture and protect their children.  (A.F.A.)

1. Gideon Sunday - On May 2nd, we will take a special offering for Gideon International.  As these men place God’s Word in the hands of people, let’s pray for them and give liberally.

2. National Day of Prayer - Wherever you are on Thursday, May 6, we urge all of America and our own Mantachie to pray.  We will meet Thursday, May 6, at Town Hall, 7:30.

3. Mother’s Day - On May 9th, one of the grandest of days, we honor our Mothers with love and support.  This day will be our Baby Dedication Sunday.

 So, what a great and spiritual agenda ahead for us!

Dr. John M. Adams

Dear Pastor and Congregation,

What an example Jesus Christ has given us.  While the disciples were busy purchasing food in Sychar, a city of Samaria, Jesus Christ was busy at the city well winning a lost woman unto faith in Himself for salvation.  Is it just possible that we busy ourselves so much with pursuits of life’s legitimate needs while we find ourselves negligent in the eternal needs of lost souls around us?

We are pleased to share with you that wonderful progress has been realized this past year on our state mission fields and many lost souls have come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and this is what it is all about.  We recently purchased property in Ripley, MS for First Hispanic Baptist Mission of Ripley doing the renovation work needed to prepare the building for use by Bro. Elvis Garcia and First Hispanic Baptist Mission of Ripley.  They are very excited and working long hours.

Bro. Ed Duvall and his mission congregation in Cleveland, MS are patiently waiting for weather conditions to improve so their building can be erected.  Our newest mission project is New Heart Baptist Mission in south Hattiesburg, MS located just south of the junction of I-59 and Hwy. 11 toward Purvis, MS.  Bro. Ray Boone is the missionary pastor of this new congregation.

We express to you our deep gratitude for your regular support and for all you have done for missions in the past.  This is our state mission work that we pray to see new growth as we strive together.  We thank you in advance for your response to this soul winning and church planting ministry of which you are vital part.

         Dr. Rayburn Freeman
         State Missions Director