By Marilyn Stewart, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Public Relations NEW ORLEANS – The harrowing sound of a freight train sent pastor Jeffery Friend and wife Stephanie running for cover Feb. 7 when an EF3 tornado touched down in New Orleans East about three miles from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary campus. Stephanie Friend was preparing to leave the house when she opened the front door, not realizing that the storm had come up so quickly and was upon them. “As soon as I shut the door, there it was,” Friend said. Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief chaplains, workers, and assessors are on-site assessing damage to the Friends’ home, the three-building church campus, and a pastorium occupied by Nikos Elzy, a NOBTS student and Suburban Baptist Church associate pastor, with his wife and two children. Current estimates put the number of homes damaged at 250, with 31 injured. No fatalities have been reported. At NOBTS, chapel services began with a cautious note – the National Weather Service had issued a number of tornado watches for the area. The sky darkened as chapel attendees entered the chapel and seminary president Chuck Kelley started the service with an announcement about the potential … [Read more...]
Archives for February 2017
Three commit to follow Christ at LC chapel service
By Norm Miller, Louisiana College communications Three Louisiana College students each indicated their desire to become Christ followers at the conclusion of LC’s Feb. 7 chapel service. Louisiana Baptist Convention Evangelism Associate Keith Manuel challenged and encouraged students when preaching from Joshua 24:14-15 the chapel sermon titled “Choices.” Manuel, also an adjunct professor for LC, related several tough choices he made throughout his life and told students, “You are making ‘decisions on steroids’ right now.” Despite life’s obstacles, Manuel advised students: “Don’t you ever listen to anyone who tells you to quit. It’s a choice to be an #AndThenSome student.” “And then some” evolved into a motto at LC as well as a popular Twitter hashtag, locally, after LC President Rick Brewer mentioned the phrase in a December 2015 commencement message. “Do hard work - and then some,” Brewer said. God calls no one to mediocrity, Manuel said. Noting God's protection and promises, Manuel encouraged students to “consider the past to help make the right decisions today” and to consider the future to see where God might lead. “Your present condition doesn’t have to be your future,” said Manuel, who concluded the … [Read more...]
Tornado destroys New Orleans church; pastor and wife safe
By Message Staff NEW ORLEANS – A tornado that touched down in the eastern part of New Orleans Tuesday, Feb. 7, has destroyed Suburban Baptist Church. One of several tornadoes to strike cities in Louisiana, the tornado destroyed the Louisiana Baptist church. Stephanie Friend told the Baptist Message she and her husband, Suburban Pastor Jeffery Friend, were not injured, though their home was heavily damaged. “Praising God for lives spared!!,” Friend posted on her Facebook page. “Devastated at the loss of our church and our home!! Always trusting the one who holds my heart!! Thank you Jesus for your grace and mercy!!!” New Orleans Baptist Association said they are providing a room for the Friends at Providence House, the hotel operated by New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. “Please join us in prayer for churches and families affected by the severe weather in our region today,” the association said in an e-mail. “Early reports tell of severe damage to at least one church, Suburban Baptist, and several homes in New Orleans East. As soon as we have more information regarding damages and the response of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, we will communicate requests, as well as material, ministerial, and volunteer … [Read more...]
God cares about small things, Bridges shares with LC students
PINEVILLE – God cares for you, even in the small things of life, Reggie Bridges said during the Feb. 2 chapel service at Louisiana College. Basing his message off the miracle of the floating axe head in 2 Kings 6, Bridges shared with students how God called him from a career in secular education into the ministry. “God cares about you as a student,” said Bridges, vice-chairman of the LC trustees and pastor of Temple Baptist Church in Ruston. “He cares about what you're going thru right now.” All upcoming chapel services, along with a schedule of speakers, can be viewed here. … [Read more...]
Record numbers ‘march for life’ at Cenla event
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer A record Louisiana Life March Central crowd of more than 5,000 turned out to boldly proclaim a simple message - that every life matters. Many held signs such as "Abortion Hurts Women" and "Louisiana Is Preaux Life." Others simply walked alongside their spouses, children or fellow church members. The march began at Louisiana College in Pineville and ended at the amphitheater in downtown Alexandria. "God's people across Cenla showed up in full force today to march for an abortion-free Louisiana," said Brian Gunter, pastor of First Baptist Church in Pollock and organizer of the march. "We exceeded all expectations with over 5,000 people taking a stand for life: I am overwhelmed by how God's people are coming together like never before to fight the greatest evil ever perpetrated upon humanity. God's people will win the fight to protect every life, and today we made a giant step toward that goal." In his post-rally message, Gunter said the dream of a pregnancy crisis center is closer to reality. By the end of 2017, the center could open. A location will be announced once funding is secured. "We encourage local churches to include Cenla pregnancy center in their missions giving … [Read more...]
LC President Rick Brewer: ‘may unborn children see light of day’
By Rick Brewer Since the 1973 Roe v Wade Supreme Court decision, millions of Americans have prayed to God and petitioned our government for an end to abortion. Could it be that our efforts are having an effect? Vice President Pence thinks so. When addressing the recent inclusive March for Life in Washington D.C., he said: “Life is winning again in America.” That is true. No longer is a baby aborted every 20 seconds. In fact, the abortion rate is at an all-time low. While we take joy in the downturn of the abortion rate, we are no less grieved and burdened about the murder of America’s unborn innocent citizens. How ironic it is that some who so desperately want to embrace the world’s political and socio-economic refugees would also staunchly and vehemently oppose the Constitutional right-to-life of the most helpless persons already in the United States: babies still in the womb. In this regard, Louisiana College is extremely grateful for a jurist of the calibre of Judge Gorsuch. His nomination to the Supreme Court, I believe, is a bellwether of real hope and change for our nation, especially considering his opinions on Hobby Lobby and Little Sisters of the Poor. Let’s pray for Judge Gorsuch in the coming … [Read more...]
TONY PERKINS: Planned Parenthood, no friend of parents
By Tony Perkins It seems the hits just keep on coming for America's abortion titan, Planned Parenthood. In the past few days, more devastating facts have surfaced about the organization that profits from the more than 300,000 abortions it performs every year: Planned "Parenthood" is not really for parents. The overwhelming data already supports the fact that Planned Parenthood is not a "women's health" organization. Their clinics provide far fewer services than other federally qualified health centers (Planned Parenthood offers no mammograms, immunizations, or radiological services, for example). And even the liberal Washington Post has lampooned their ridiculous lie about abortion constituting only three percent of their services. Their attempt to pivot and claim they provide "prenatal care" is also being debunked as just more false advertising. Undercover videos have surfaced from Planned Parenthood clinics all around the country. Of their 97 affiliates contacted by undercover investigators at Live Action Network, only five facilities provided prenatal care of any sort. Even more shocking? More than once, workers openly admitted the name "Planned Parenthood" is deceptive! In a second set of videos, Planned Parenthood … [Read more...]
California has $368 billion addiction to federal money
Archaeologists discover Solomon’s mines
BARNA: Ten lessons form church expansion
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