By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BATON ROUGE – Sherwood Baptist Church was at a crossroads only a year after renovating facilities that had been damaged heavily by the historic flood of August 2016. The multi-ethnic congregation was well-positioned with regard to location, space and amenities to minister to the surrounding neighborhood, but membership had dropped. After months of seeking the Holy Spirit’s direction, Pastor Bruce Worrell was introduced in September to Josh Causey, pastor of Living Hope Fellowship, a predominately Anglo congregation, in Baton Rouge. Following multiple meetings to facilitate a merger, the two churches became one congregation February 25, creating a strong and dynamic body focused on reaching a community ripe for harvest. “Both congregations voted 100 percent to come together and that’s what I call a miracle,” Worrell said. “Before we came together, the group I was left with was a group that, first of all, loved the Lord and they loved the people of this community regardless of an individual’s background or economic status. They wanted to see this lighthouse continue to shine. “They were willing to step out of their comfort zone and move forward with some new ideas and some new … [Read more...]
These precious children
By Perry Hancock, President & CEO of Louisiana Baptist Children's Home If you drive around any town or city in Louisiana you will find children in need. Our state has one of the highest poverty rates for children in America. According to the latest census data, over 300,000 children in Louisiana (29 percent) live below the poverty level. Louisiana is ranked 49th in the nation for overall child well-being and 50th for child economic well-being. In Monroe, the numbers are even more alarming. The poverty rate for children is almost 57 percent, the highest of the seven largest cities in the state including New Orleans. Monroe is not only the most poverty-stricken city in Louisiana but it is the 4th poorest city in the country. The demographics show that children make up the largest segment of those living in poverty. These children have low academic outcomes. They suffer from high rates of social anxiety. They have more health issues than other children. They are more likely to have feelings of depression and despair. Even more disturbing is the fact that these children often have a negative view of God. “If God loves me so much, why doesn’t He do something to help me?” These precious children have great … [Read more...]
Abused as a child, redeemed as a child of God
By Holly Jo Linzay, Regional Reporter LAFAYETTE – Tears glistened in Shermane Reed’s eyes as she recounted the horror of the abuse she experienced as a child, and how the power of God’s healing brought redemption to her life. As a Mending the Soul facilitator and coordinator of the recovery support group at The Bayou Church in Lafayette, Reed has told her story to countless women and men. It is one of sexual abuse as a child, Reed said, and it helps her to connect with other abuse survivors. It was through the ministry of Mending the Soul that Reed was able to find hope and healing. Mending the Soul is a recovery support group that offers hope for those dealing with all forms of abuse. The 15-week study is a personal and specific look at the effects of abuse that brings hope for personal healing and provides deep discipleship. The intense study, Reed said, may be painful at times, but will lead to God’s healing and help individuals find redemptive purposes for the pain. “I grew up in church. My family was very religious. We went to church every Sunday and every Wednesday night prayer meeting. My Dad was very well known throughout the community, and everyone thought he was the perfect family man. But behind … [Read more...]
Crusade bringing hope to LaSalle Parish
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer JENA – The Harvest is coming to LaSalle Parish and churches from the LaSalle Baptist Association with some congregations from other denominations are praying for a bumper crop of souls. “Tomorrow’s Hope GO TELL Crusade” will be held Sept. 23-26 at Jena High School gymnasium with Rick Gage, founder of GO TELL Crusades in Duluth, Georgia, and Scott Camp, founder of Scott Camp Ministries in Fort Worth, Texas, bringing Gospel messages and vocalists, as well as an area choir, sharing about Christ through music. “We as the Christian community have the only hope for man,” said crusade chairman Wayne Davis. “There is a large segment of our population that doesn’t even know there is hope. You can see the hopelessness on their face. But those in our parish who know Christ definitely have the hope of Jesus that we will share with them throughout the crusade, and well after.” The crusade is part of the statewide Harvest campaign to “pray for every home and share with every person” in Louisiana through the end of 2018. Nearly 900 of 1,650 Louisiana Baptist churches have signed up to participate in concentrated prayer and soul-winning activities such as multi-church crusades, … [Read more...]
Singing Ministers ready for 2018-19 concert season
By Staff, Baptist Message The Louisiana Baptist Singing Ministers are gearing up for a busy 2018-19 concert season that includes a stop at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. With the first performance just a week away, this group of 55 music ministers and laymen are eager to hit the highways and bi-ways of the state and share God’s love through their variety of music that includes a cappella spirituals, hymn arrangements and contemporary Christian tunes. “The spiritual and musical challenges of being in Singing Ministers builds our abilities to be used by God ‘on the road’ and especially when we go back to our individual home churches,” said Frank Nihard, public relations officer with the group. Since they organized in 1974, the Louisiana Baptist Singing Ministers have presented concerts at churches, detention centers, intervention program facilities and prisons. During each performance, the group collects an offering for needy students. The collection helps fund the Louisiana Baptist All State Choir and scholarships for two Louisiana College and two New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary students preparing for music ministry. Several former scholarship recipients are now members of the group. The … [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 Richard, wife Vickie, Blue is the new Associational Missions Coordinator for Easter Louisiana Baptist Association. Blue resigned as the senior pastor of Walker Baptist Church, Walker to take the new position. Daryl Stagg is the new Director of Missions for Big Creek Baptist Association and the CENLA Baptist Association. Joel Murrah ordained to the Gospel ministry by Christ Church, Lafayette. He is commissioned to pioneer a new celebrate recovery ministry at the church, which starts in October. Chad Ward is the new pastor at Victory Baptist Church, Walker. Cole Headrick is the student minister at Bayou Oaks Baptist Church, Monroe. James (wife Wanda) Lovell is the new pastor at Pine Grove Baptist Church, Castor. Jason Dubea resigns as pastor at Gateway Bible Church, Ball. Destry McFearin … [Read more...]
Outgoing DOM Lonnie Wascom is faithful to the end
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer COVINGTON – Lonnie Wascom has one final prayer request as he closes out his time as director of missions for Northshore Baptist Association Oct. 1. “If God favors me, He’ll let me go out like Elijah,” Wascom said. “I do not want to burn out; I want to burn up. I want to see people saved. I want to see our churches revived. I want to see an awakening before I die.” Wascom, director of missions for Northshore Baptist Association since its formation in 2011, announced in early May of this year his intention to retire. At the time, Wascom said in his e-mail blast he had served in vocational ministry for 55 years, and the decision was one he did not take lightly. With retirement just weeks away, Wascom said serving the association’s 90 churches has been an honor. “I’ve loved being a director of missions,” he said. “I never saw myself in this office, but I’m still excited. One brother asked what I am doing when I retire. I said ‘I will keep praying, I will stay in the Word, I will keep sharing my faith with people, I will preach as I have opportunity, and I’m going to encourage pastors and ministers. If God wants me in a local church as a pastor or another role, I’m going to do … [Read more...]
I am a transitional pastor
By Ken Schroeder Just a couple of weeks ago, someone asked me, “So how do you like being an interim pastor?” I responded, “I am not an interim pastor. I am a transitional pastor.” He gave me a look of incredulity and drilled down, “What’s the difference?” While the two terms appear to be interchangeable, the differences lie in the intentionality of the transitional pastor. An interim pastor fills the gap or vacancy caused by the departure of the previous pastor by generally preaching on Sundays and leading the Wednesday prayer meeting or service. He may provide some additional leadership, but generally he has no specific charge for him to lead the congregation. He may even be considered as the permanent pastor. With Transitional Pastoral Ministry, the congregation and the transitional pastor enter into a covenant relationship whereby the transitional pastor agrees to provide spiritual leadership to the church and lead the church throughout the transitional period. The church agrees to be loving and gracious to the transitional pastor and his family and to pray for spiritual power in his life and work. The church further promises to relate to him as a God’s anointed leader for the task, to support his leadership, and to … [Read more...]
Edmonds speaks at New Hope Baptist
Rick Edmonds, who once served as pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Shreveport, spoke at New Hope Baptist Church in Elmer on August 19. He is running for Louisiana Secretary of State. Photographed are Edmonds, his wife, Cindy, Gwena McLcane and her husband, New Hope Baptist Pastor Robert McLane. … [Read more...]
Kennedy gives opening statement on SCOTUS nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh
By Office of U.S. Sen. John Kennedy WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) delivered his opening statement on Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh in the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday, September 5. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WjtRpAfkfI&feature=youtu.be What Sen. Kennedy is seeking in a Supreme Court justice: "I want a judge. I don’t want a politician. I am not looking for an ideologue. I’m not looking for a hater. What I am looking for is somebody who is whip smart, who is intellectually curious, who writes cleanly and crisply, who knows what a semicolon is for and who is willing to protect the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights and understands that the Bill of Rights is not an a la carte menu." Anger is dividing this country: "We’ve been divided before and we’ll be divided again. We will survive this, but I confess that the division in our country today seems to be especially sharp. And what concerns me so much about the division is the basis for it. It’s not honest disagreement. So much of it is anger." Judges aren’t there to bypass the ballot: "It’s not the United States Supreme Court that’s supposed to fix this country culturally, economically, socially, … [Read more...]
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