China forces churches to sing Communist anthems, bans Christian hymns
2020 Dems to debate who’s most pro-abortion at Planned Parenthood candidates’ forum
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson gives moving speech at MTV Awards: ‘I wasn’t going to conform to Hollywood’
Celebration Church mourns sudden death of Westbank campus pastor
Dear Celebration Church Family, As many in our Church family know all too well, life is filled with unexplainable tragedies. Last night such a tragedy occurred when our Celebration Westbank Campus Pastor, Claude Williams, was taken from this life in a traffic accident. As far as we can tell, Pastor Claude and his long time friend Jeff Leinart stopped on the elevated Westbank Expressway to assist someone who had a flat tire. While they were assisting the person someone else hit them and the car they were working on, and their lives and another person’s life were ended. Pastor Claude’s wife, Twila, and their boys (Emmett, Elijah and Emory) were in Knoxville, Tennessee visiting her mother. They and Pastor Claude’s mother have been told about what has happened. Let’s pray for them constantly, asking the Lord, the “God of all comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:3) to help them process through their pain and sorrow in the coming weeks, month and years. We will stand with them and assist them in every week in the coming days. We also need to pray for our Celebration Family, especially our Celebration Westbank Members. Pastor Claude was greatly loved by all who knew him. He has been a faithful, faith-filled, godly and loving leader and a … [Read more...]
Living blessed
By Waylon Bailey Several years ago John Ortberg wrote a book on spiritual disciplines entitled, “The Life You’ve Always Wanted.” It deals with prayer, Scripture, solitude, and other practices which will bring us the kind of life and relationship with God we’ve always wanted. That seems to be the same kind of message Paul gave to the Church at Colossae. He encouraged those new believers to set their minds on the things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father. He also encouraged them to leave earthly things (meaning things of the flesh which are opposed to God) behind. He gave them a list of things to “put on” and a list to “put off.” He then told them to live according to who they are in Christ. What can we do to have a life that pleases Christ and by extension gives us “the life we’ve always wanted?” Paul reminded them of the virtues which are uniquely Christian but which non-Christians appreciate and desire to see in those who believe. Paul gave eight areas where we should live according to our new life in Christ and endeavor to let the Spirit of God work in our lives. These areas are compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance, forgiveness, and love. Who would ever … [Read more...]
Celebrity bodyguard joins body of Christ
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer CENTRAL – Hadley James had served as a bodyguard for high-profile celebrities around the U.S., and was awash with all the perks that came with the job; but, he found true satisfaction and returned to his walk with Christ after watching live worship services broadcast by Greenwell Springs Baptist Church. A few months later James experienced another spiritual watershed moment when he was baptized alongside his daughter, Nicole, in front of the Greenwell Springs congregation. “It was one of the most exciting experiences in my life,” James told the Baptist Message. “My daughter was lost and is now alive in Christ.” SEEDS, SON & HARVEST A number of divine appointments led up to the Feb. 10, 2019, celebration for the James family, with the first Gospel seeds planted in early 2016. James had retired from the bodyguard profession in 1995, ending his behind-the-scenes with the rich and famous, to take a position as director of security and loss prevention for a national construction company in Las Vegas, Nevada. He also began breeding Great Danes as a side venture. Hadley had become a child of God as a sophomore in high school, but he had drifted away from the Lord in the … [Read more...]
Legislature 2019: Key wins on moral issues, social concerns
BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Key protections for children, born and unborn, highlighted the 2019 Louisiana Legislative Session, but other moral issues and social concerns were in the spotlight, too, and most were decided favorably with regard to the consensus views of Louisiana Baptists regarding these matters. LIFE In 2018, Louisiana Baptists overwhelming approved a resolution declaring their “unwavering commitment to rescue and protect life from the womb through eternity,” and pro-life legislation approved in 2019 included multiple bills championed by Louisiana Baptist lawmakers. Rep. Katrina Jackson (D-Morehouse, Ouachita), and Sen. Beth Mizell (R-St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Washington, Florida), a member of the First Baptist Church in Franklinton, sponsored a state amendment in their respective chambers. Approved by two-thirds votes in the House and Senate, the Love Life Amendment (H.B. 425) offers to add a simple statement to the Louisiana Constitution, declaring, “To protect human life, nothing in this constitution shall be construed to secure or protect a right to abortion or require the funding of abortion.” This measure protects against a rogue state judge ruling that an abortion right exists that is not explicitly … [Read more...]
Larto Baptist is a refuge in time of need
By Message Staff LARTO (LBM) -- Larto Baptist Church has opened its front lawn as a sanctu-ary for residents wanting to protect their vehicles and personal belongings from rising floodwaters in the community. Since early May, water levels have risen four feet in the community located 24 miles south of Jonesville. Nearly 40 cars are parked on the church lawn which rises seven feet higher than the surrounding area, Pastor Kenny Smith told the Baptist Message. “Our church yard looks like a used car lot,” Smith said. “We are showing our support for our neighbors, many who have water near their homes and with the only way to get out by boat. Any-one who needs help, we do it because Christ commands it of us.” Smith said only four people attended worship services Sunday, May 19, because most of the residents were unable to travel to the campus. According to the Annual Church Profile database, Larto Baptist averages 35 worshipers for Sunday morning service. All activities likely will be cancelled for the coming weeks, Smith said. Meanwhile, Smith asked Louisiana Baptists to pray for his congregation and community. “Pray that people that are behind the backwater are able to get supplies,” Smith said, “and for their … [Read more...]
NOBTS team sows & reaps in Birmingham
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (LBM) – New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary students recorded 19 professions of faith during a week-long evangelism “boot camp” and outreach blitz in Birmingham, Alabama, prior to Southern Baptists’ annual business meeting. The students participated in evangelism training, visited 1,100 homes and shared the Gospel with 255 people in neighborhoods throughout the city June 3-7, NOBTS officials reported. They also joined 400 Southern Baptist teams, June 8, and collectively shared the Gospel with 10,409 homes during Crossover, Southern Baptists’ evangelistic outreach in the host city for the annual meeting. Combined, the teams engaged in 1,817 Gospel conversations and 364 of these individuals they encountered declared Christ as Lord, Crossover organizers reported. Another 2,251 persons sought prayer. Teams also provided free medical and dental care through a Send Relief mobile clinic set up at Birmingham’s Sixth Avenue Baptist Church. GOSPEL ENGAGEMENT The first recorded salvation took place on the students’ first day in the city. Tony Thibodeaux, pastor of Barataria Baptist Church in Lafitte, and two other students led Hannah, 7, to faith in Christ … [Read more...]
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