By Steve Horn "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 3:14 “The Dog Days of Summer” is an expression that one hears often in baseball. The phrase comes from the very challenging days of playing baseball in the heat of the summer. Not only are players contending with the heat, but they are also contending with the length of the baseball season. The excitement of the beginning of the season has certainly waned, and the end of the season with championships on the line is too far away to make a difference. Added to this is the sad reality that some teams recognize that their championship hopes have all but been shattered. Championships are won or lost in these “dog days of summer.” I suspect that the Christian experiences our own version of the “dog days of summer.” The main difference is that the Christian’s “dog days” can come in almost any season of life. The newness of conversion unfortunately loses excitement, and the daily battle with sin and circumstances makes our ultimate reward seem so distant. How does the Christian survive the dog days? Apostle Paul seems to give us a good word: “Press on.” We must press on in our walk with Christ. We … [Read more...]
Dakota Baptists seeking new executive director
By Message Staff RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Dakota Baptist Convention has initiated a search to replace Garvon Golden, who has announced his plans to retire as executive director/treasurer. The administrative team of the executive board will nominate, and the executive board will hire, a successor to Golden, whose final day as the leader of the state convention will be Dec. 31. He plans to remain in Rapid City, where the state convention’s headquarters is located, to serve as pastor of Christ Church. “I have the privilege to serve the churches of the Dakotas as their executive director/treasurer for the last seven years and it has been an honor,” Golden told the Baptist Message. “I have always had the desire to return to the pastorate and finish out my calling and life work in the local church. I am grateful that God has opened the door for me to do so. I will always be thankful for the opportunity to serve the Dakotas in this role.” Golden has served DBC as executive director/treasurer since 2011, first as interim before being hired. He previously pastored Bounds Baptist Church in Powderly, Texas; the First Baptist Church in Dickinson, North Dakota; the First Baptist Church in Forsyth, Montana; and the First Baptist … [Read more...]
Louisiana Notables
EDITOR’S NOTE: Do you have a Revival, Homecoming, a new pastor, a community outreach or a concert? The Baptist Message would love to share your church news with the rest of the state. It is very easy to do, just send in your information (who, what, where and when) to philip@baptistmessage.com or call 318.449.4345. To get your event in the paper, please submit your information three weeks prior to the event. ON THE MOVE Arron (wife Ashley) McGuffee is the new senior pastor at Trinity Baptist Church, Natchitoches. Paul DeRousse is retiring from Emmanuel Baptist Church, Shreveport. He has served the church as Minister of Music and Senior Adults then Associate Pastor and Senior Adults for the last 20 years. HOMECOMING Second Baptist Church, Jackson: 60th Homecoming, September 15, 10 a.m. Pastor: Clark Fooshee. New Zion Baptist Church, Kentwood: 150th Homecoming Celebration, September 15, 10:30 a.m. A covered dish meal will follow the worship service. Speaker: Gibbie McMillan. Special Music: Jimmy Falker. Pastor: Larry Blades. REVIVAL Palestine Baptist Church, Columbia: Revival, September 1-4. Evangelist: Scotty McDowell, chalk artist. Pastor: Hudey Beaubouef. First Baptist Church, Dubach: Revival, … [Read more...]
HomePlace offers women hope of heavenly abode
MONROE – Sarah Pierce spent nearly 15 years seeking freedom from alcoholism, but just a few months into 2017 she found deliverance in Christ when she entered HomePlace, the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and Family Ministries program for homeless children and their mothers. Through HomePlace, Pierce received spiritual support from fellow mothers in the program and LBCHFM staff members, who encouraged her to share her testimony of salvation publicly, through baptism. On August 18 she took that step of obedience with another HomePlace resident as they were baptized during a worship service at the North Monroe Baptist Church in Monroe. The women are two of five HomePlace residents (out of 13 women currently in the program) baptized this year, and among numerous others in the program who have been plunged beneath baptistery waters since HomePlace began in 2010. Susan Clark, LBCHFM director of family care ministries, said she has been blessed to witness the life change in Pierce and many other women, who participate in daily personal devotional times, weekly small group Bible studies and monthly large group gatherings, featuring a speaker and testimonies, at the ministry’s Monroe campus. “We give them Jesus, every … [Read more...]
Louisiana wins Little League World Series
Thai Christian rescued from cave: ‘God answered me’
Louisiana DOMs lift Louisiana Baptist Executive Director Steve Horn up in prayer
State directors of missions prayed for newly elected Louisiana Baptists Executive Director Steve Horn during a meeting and fellowship at the Baptist Building in Alexandria August 20. During the meeting, Horn encouraged the directors of missions and fielded questions from several of them. … [Read more...]
ReGroup renews Sunday school passions
By Message Staff HAUGHTON, La. (LBM)--Johnny Hunt encouraged participants at one of two simultaneously held ReGroup training conferences for Sunday school leaders to become better disciple makers and students of the Bible. “When you get further down the road you would like to look back and know you have not been wasting your time,” Hunt said. “You really want to see life change. “If we really believe what we are teaching it’s not only going to change us; it’s going to change the people,” he emphasized. “But we not only must exhort this truth to our people. We must emulate this truth in our life. If I’m going to help build someone for Kingdom life, it will take Bible engagement and reflection on the Scripture.” Hunt, the newly installed senior vice president of evangelism and leadership at the North American Mission Board, was the keynote speaker for the ReGroup North Conference at the First Baptist Church in Haughton, and Ken Weathersby, vice president for convention advancement with the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee, was the main speaker for the ReGroup South Conference at Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles. The two locations drew 972 people, combined, on August … [Read more...]
Students see ‘M-azing’ growth at M-fuge
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – Many students entered the recent Ministry Fuge camp at Louisiana College looking for an opportunity to serve others and left having had an encounter with Christ. Six campers repented for salvation, eight repented to restore fellowship with the Lord, three indicated a Holy Spirit call to ministry and eight made some other spiritual decision, according to Carol Pipes, media representative for LifeWay Christian Resources. Throughout the week of July 15-19, the 115 middle and high school students from churches in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas enjoyed a time of worship and Bible study at the Pineville campus each morning and then dispersed into smaller teams to minister throughout the community. Students held Backyard Bible clubs in Pineville at the Wardville campus of the Gathering Place, and in Alexandria packed boxes at the Food Bank of Central Louisiana and spruced up the grounds and facilities at the Hope House for battered women. “We are pleased to continue hosting Lifeway’s M-Fuge summer camps on our campus,” Louisiana College President Rick Brewer told the Baptist Message. “Plans include an expansion of M-Fuge camp offerings at the College in future years … [Read more...]
Ralph Abraham disputes Edwards’ transgender stance
BATON ROUGE – U.S. Congressman Ralph Abraham has released a campaign ad titled, “The Truth,” in which he rejects Gov. John Bel Edwards’s efforts to establish special rights for people who claim a transgender or a gender fluid sexual identity. “As a doctor, I can assure you there are only two genders,” Abraham said. The reference is to Edwards’s executive order that mandated state government contractors must accommodate employees who identify as something other than their actual biological sex. Transgenderism and gender fluidity are not recognized by federal law as protected classes, and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry filed a lawsuit to prevent enforcement of Edwards’s edict. Ultimately, the state Supreme Court ruled Edwards’s mandate as unconstitutional. … [Read more...]
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