By Staff, Baptist Message "Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord." Joel 1:14 BATON ROUGE – Col. Mike Edmonson, head of the Louisiana State Police recently requested prayers following the tragic shooting of three Baton Rouge law enforcement officers. “We want and need your prayers,” Edmonson said. “Baton Rouge is in need of your prayers right now.” And churches are responding, especially after what transpired over the weekend. Prayer is needed now more than ever. At 6 p.m. this evening (July 19), Istrouma Baptist Church will host a night of prayer for Baton Rouge and law enforcement. According to the church’s website, “Anyone is welcome to stop by and pray for our city, our nation, our local law enforcement, and the families and friends of the officers who lost their lives Sunday.” On Wednesday, Istrouma will also host a community blood drive at their Baton Rouge campus from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.to help the blood bank restock its blood reserves. That evening, there will be a Night of Prayer at Istrouma’s ‘The Grove’ Campus, located on Hwy 42 in Prairieville, beginning at 7 p.m. PRAYING FOR HEALING & … [Read more...]
I Feel Intense Grief
By Waylon Bailey, Pastor of FBC Covington It’s Sunday afternoon, and I feel intense grief over the shooting of a number of police officers in Baton Rouge. At this point, three are reported to have been killed. I cannot imagine what officers and their families all over the nation are feeling right now. What can we say about such unspeakable acts? First, never return violence for violence. Neither you nor I have the authorization to do so. “Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable” (Romans 12:17). Punishment is the duty of God and government. In this and all cases of violence and lawlessness, government must do its job. Second, we need police. Only law enforcement stands between us and anarchy or a wild West mentality. Recently, Charles Barkley, a former professional athlete, weighed in on the police killings in Dallas. Barkley, an African American, noted that the black community especially needs a police presence. We all do. We all need police officers who are called to uphold the rule of law and to treat all people impartially and with dignity and respect. Society cannot survive without it. It is in God’s plan. Read again Romans 13 about the responsibility of … [Read more...]
Eddie Wren: No good can come from embracing the use of alcohol
Eddie Wren, Pastor FBC Rayville RAYVILLE -- I woke up Monday morning expecting to have a great day off, but the day soon hit a sour note. I came across an article shared on social media entitled: Alcohol Abuse, Perry Noble, and the Church Response—What Now? I read the article and discovered Pastor Perry Noble had been removed as pastor from New Springs Church due to “unfortunate choices” which apparently included abuse of alcohol. I say apparently because the article does not spell it out but does say “board members had confronted Noble on numerous occasions regarding his use of alcohol.” I do not know Perry Noble. I do not write to cast judgment upon him. I pray God will heal and remove any struggle he has with alcohol and I pray that he will have a God honoring ministry for the rest of his life. I write because I am terribly concerned with the approach to alcohol by my generation of pastors and more the approach to alcohol by the next generation of pastors. There appears to be a growing trend of young pastors embracing the use of alcohol. During a meeting at the Southern Baptist Convention there was a question asked of Al Mohler concerning the use of alcohol. He masterfully answered the question informing everyone in the … [Read more...]
Perry Noble fired from NewSpring Church after refusing to take ‘corrective’ steps related to alcohol abuse
By Leonardo Blair, Christian Post ANDERSON, S.C. (Christian Post) — After a week of whispers that he had been fired, NewSpring Church, a popular megachurch in South Carolina with a weekly attendance of 30,000, confirmed Sunday that Perry Noble, the church's founding and senior pastor, has been fired for alcohol abuse and other "unfortunate choices and decisions" and is currently under psychiatric care. "While this is the most difficult and painful decision we've had to make, unfortunately it was necessary. Perry has made some unfortunate choices and decisions that have caused us much concern," NewSpring Church Executive Pastor Shane Duffey said at the 9:15 a.m. service. He explained that the church tried for several months to help Perry after confronting him about his issues but he refused to take correction so they were forced to make the "painful" move. "Over the course of several months our executive pastors met with and discussed at length with Perry these concerns regarding his personal behavior and his spiritual walk, Perry's posture towards marriage, increased reliance on alcohol and other behaviors were of continual concern. Due to this the executive pastors confronted Perry and went through the steps of dealing with … [Read more...]
Poll: Evangelicals wholeheartedly on board with Trump, religious ‘nones’ with Clinton
By Gregory Tomlin, Christian Examiner ***This article was previously posted at the Christian Examiner and is used by permission. PRINCETON, N.J. (Christian Examiner) – Evangelicals aren't just warming to Trump; they're on fire for the candidate, if the data from a new Pew Research Center study is correct. Pew reported July 13 that evangelical voters are "rallying" to the candidate and expressing a greater degree of support for the nominally-Christian Trump than they did for the Mormon Mitt Romney in 2012. Then, about two-thirds (73%) of Republican voters said they planned to turn out to support Romney. Now, 78 percent of white evangelicals, a declining share of the electorate (according to thePublic Religion Research Institute), say they'll head to the polls to support the New York billionaire – in spite of the fact that he's had difficultly explaining who Jesus is and what it means to seek forgiveness. Slightly more than one-third of the evangelicals polled (36%) said they "strongly" support the Trump campaign. To read the full story, click here. … [Read more...]
Undercutting Missions: New Russian law prohibits evangelism, preaching outside state-sanctioned sites
MOSCOW (BP) -- A new Russian law that prohibits evangelism and preaching outside state-sanctioned sites reminds New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary professor Jake Roudkovski of his days as a youth in the Soviet Union. "Baptist churches in Russia will survive" the law signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin July 6 and set to take effect July 20, Roudkovski, associate professor of evangelism and pastoral leadership, told Baptist Press. Such oppression "is nothing new to them.... They will stay faithful to the Gospel." Still, the law "will significantly undercut all of the missionary activities," though it "will not stop [missions and evangelism] altogether," said Roudkovski, who left the Soviet Union at age 17 but has returned on mission trips. The law, part of a package of anti-terrorism measures, will amend a 1997 Russian religion law to ban preaching, praying, proselytizing and disseminating religious materials outside state-sanctioned religious sites, according to a news release from the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). Russians who share their faith or distribute certain types of religious messages through mass print, broadcast or online media may face fines up to $15,000. Under … [Read more...]
‘Beginning of revival’: Southern Baptists respond with prayers, faith and kindness
DALLAS (BP) -- Holding interracial prayer gatherings, ministering to grieving police officers in the emergency room and hosting a question-and-answer session with police are among the ways Dallas-area Southern Baptists have responded to the violent killings of five police officers last week. The July 7 assassinations, apparently committed by a suspect who reportedly told police he wanted to kill white people, occurred within days of police killing two black civilians under questionable circumstances -- Alton Sterling of Baton Rouge, La., and Philando Castile of the Minneapolis area. President Obama and former President George W. Bush spoke at a memorial service for the slain officers in Dallas July 12. 'All lives matter' Heightened racial tension precipitated by the string of violence prompted Mesquite (Texas) Friendship Baptist Church to host a community "All Lives Matter Prayer Gathering" July 11, at which approximately 700 black, white and Hispanic believers prayed for the families of Sterling and Castile, the families of the murdered police officers and the family of Dallas shooting suspect Micah Johnson, who was killed by police. "Black lives matter because black lives are being traumatized in America today," Mesquite … [Read more...]
Summertime is good for Louisiana Baptist missions
By David E. Hankins, Executive Director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention ALEXANDRIA – I hope this summer season allows you an opportunity to relax, vacation with your family, and otherwise enjoy some time off. But don’t forget the amazing ministries that are taking place this summer. I have been hearing reports of outstanding participation in VBS from churches all over our state with scores and scores of children giving their lives to Christ. Our GOLA VBS teams, sponsored by the Baptist Collegiate Ministry, are working throughout Louisiana and all the way to Canada. Additional summer missionaries from Louisiana are fanned out all over the globe. Numerous other Louisiana Baptists, including LBC strategists, are involved in mission trips this summer from Brazil to Belarus to Indonesia. Another summer outreach staple is our camping ministries. Tall Timbers, our LBC state camp, is experiencing another record year in children and youth attendance with most weeks full to overflowing. We are so thankful for the new Georgia Barnette Missions Conference Center which is nearing completion and which will provide needed room to grow. Even the summer session of the Louisiana legislature afforded opportunities for LBC … [Read more...]
VBS fills baptisteries
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BALL – The baptistery at Tioga First Baptist Church was a little crowded in late June but Pastor Tim Hisaw did not mind. Four children who accepted Christ during the church’s Vacation Bible School walked into the water and, as Hisaw baptized each child, thunderous applause broke out from those packed in the pews inside the worship center. “It’s nice to have a full baptistery isn’t it, bud?” Hisaw told one of the children nearby. “If we get too many it will overflow and flood. It’s a good thing the choir’s not up here or they’d get wet.” Before VBS, Hisaw prayed that four families would join Tioga First Baptist by the time it was over. But God answered his prayers by drawing these four children, instead – confirmation God was at work during VBS, which averaged 85 in attendance each day. Though the children took part in recreation and refreshments, Hisaw said the end goal was sharing the Gospel. “That’s why we do Vacation Bible School,” Hisaw said. “We do this to make an eternal impact on them by introducing them to Jesus.” Church member Misty Stewart said the excitement of accepting Christ during VBS has not waned for her son, Matthew, who was baptized with the three others. Now, … [Read more...]
Louisiana Baptists take lead on key pro-life legislation
By Will Hall, Message Editor BATON ROUGE – While Louisiana’s budget debate dominated headlines across the state during the three legislative sessions in 2016, Louisiana Baptists in the House and Senate gave critical leadership in passing a number of important measures, especially those with a pro-life emphasis. -- Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Dist. 8), a member of FBC Bossier City, authored HB 1081 (Act 264), the Louisiana Unborn Child Protection from Dismemberment Act which ends the brutal practice by abortionists of tearing body parts from a live, unborn child typically as part of late-term procedures. -- Rep. Rick Edmonds (R-Dist. 66), retired pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Shreveport and former vice president of Louisiana Family Forum, advanced “Jacob’s Law,” or HB 1019 (Act 563), which protects unborn children from being singled out for abortion simply for being diagnosed with a disability such as Down syndrome. -- Sen. Ryan Gatti (R-Dist. 36), also a member of FBC Bossier City, was the originator of SB 33 (Act 196). This measure prohibits the sale or donation of human limbs and organs harvested as a result of an elective abortion, thus banning groups like Planned Parenthood from profiting from baby body parts. -- … [Read more...]
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