By James Collins “…for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” -Hebrews 13:5b Like most of you, I was heartbroken this past Sunday to hear of the church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Texas. My wife and I watched the news reports with shock and horror. We were both in tears. However, my tears turned to anger when an ignorant TV talking head made a stupid comment. He said, “Where was God while all these people were being slaughtered?” “Where was God?” you ask. God was there. He was there with Farida Brown. He was there with Farida as she brought comfort to the dying. Farida was shot in both of her legs. But she was able to have the strength to drag herself over to a friend. Farida held her hand, telling her she was heading to Heaven. God was there. He was there with Joann Ward. Joann pushed her nine-year-old daughter Rihanna on the floor and under a church pew. Then she embraced her other three children, using her body as a shield to protect them. God was there. He was there with Noah Holcombe. Being only 17-months-old, Noah couldn’t comprehend what was happening. Noah could only giggle as nail-pierced hands picked him up and carried him Home. God was there. He was there with Dennis Johnson. … [Read more...]
Archives for November 2017
Military convicted Texas shooter of beating wife, child, but did not enter crimes in federal database
Black student is perpetrator of fake hate crime at Air Force Academy
NASA discovers underwater volcanoes are melting Antartica from below
UCLA basketball players arrested in China for shoplifting
Baptism service a family reunion
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer COUSHATTA (LBM) – The baptistery at Liberty Baptist Church in Coushatta was the perfect setting for a recent reunion of people close to James Hester, pastor of Social Springs Baptist Church in Ringgold. Hester cancelled Sunday evening services for his Ringgold congregation, Sept. 28, to be at the Coushatta church in order to baptize his mother, LaWanda, with the blessing of Liberty Baptist Pastor Harry Bamburg. Then Hester was blessed to witness the baptism of his brother Jerry, nephew Zach and his nephew’s wife Jessica, all officiated by Bamburg. A MOTHER’S JOY “My heart was full and I was in awe of the goodness and faithfulness of our awesome God, and so thankful for His amazing grace,” Hester said. “She has lived longer than either of her parents and I thank God daily for Christian parents who raised me in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Hester said he praised God for the honor of baptizing his mother, and that his mom told him hers was “an even greater honor – being baptized by the youngest of her five boys.” “God is good,” he told the Baptist Message. A SON’S LOVE The catalyst for the multiple baptisms was a revival Sept. 3-10 at Social Springs … [Read more...]
Sam White will be a tall act to follow at Tall Timbers
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer WOODWORTH (LBM)--Sam White had planned on a long career in the Air Force but an Experiencing God class changed his path, eventually leading him to manage the Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center. Now, after 16 years as director of the Louisiana Baptist camp, White is stepping away for a new adventure, retirement, starting Dec. 1. “I never saw a career in camping coming,” White told the Baptist Message. “I saw the Air Force as my career and planned to stay in a lot longer than I did, until God changed my direction. On a human level it didn’t make sense but we all know that isn’t how God works. Now, looking back on these years at Tall Timbers and another stop before that, we could see God’s hand at work in our lives.” A native of Bienville, at the tender age of eight years old White humbled his heart and surrendered his life to Christ. Although White planned to complete a 30-year career in the Air Force, God changed his plans. After taking an Experiencing God class in February 1994 at Central Baptist Church in Clovis, N.M., Sam and his wife Kay believed God was telling them to give up the Air Force career and seek a new direction. Months later, God used the testimony of … [Read more...]
Brewer’s contract extended as reward for LC revitalization
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE (LBM) – Citing an increased enrollment and the addition of new academic programs and scholarships, the Louisiana College Board of Trustees has extended President Rick Brewer’s contract through 2022. Board Chairman Randy Harper said during the school’s Oct. 30 news conference that the board unanimously approved the two-year increase during its April 2017 board meeting, but because of a new one-day format for the April meeting, he and the board selected the Oct. 30 board meeting to make the announcement public, deciding it was the more opportune time for most trustees, students, faculty and staff to attend. “We are grateful for Dr. Brewer’s leadership,” said Harper, pastor of Bellaire Baptist Church in Bossier City. “He is a leader who has more energy than probably five freshmen of the school. He works tirelessly. He believes in Christian education and liberal arts education and in raising and preparing graduates to transform lives with a Christian worldview.” Since Brewer was elected unanimously as president in April 2015, he has led the school from probationary status into good standing with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on … [Read more...]
Mandeville disaster relief team an answer to Texas lady’s prayers
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BEAUMONT, Texas (LBM) - When the team from First Baptist Church in Mandeville arrived in late September at a site hit hard by Hurricane Harvey, they simply were obeying God’s command to serve victims of the devastating storm. But for Gaylynn Johnson, a resident of Beaumont, Texas, the work crew was God’s answer to her prayers. “I’m so glad to see you!” she recalled was her greeting to the team. The storm’s torrential rain had caused flooding more than three feet deep inside her home (and it was two weeks before the water receded), destroying most of her possessions. “We had been hoping for someone to come and help us,” Johnson told the Baptist Message. “Someone just called to tell me that help was on the way, and I got over there [work site] right away.” MEN AT WORK Moments after that greeting, Johnson said, the team got right to work, putting on respirator masks while conducting a tour of the damage. Although she and her husband had removed all the damaged furniture, clothing and other items, a putrid stench persisted, she remembered. Larry, an electrician, was unable to assist the Mandeville team during work hours, Gaylynn said, but he contributed to the … [Read more...]
LC offers free tuition to missionary dependents
By Norm Miller, LC News PINEVILLE - Louisiana College trustees voted unanimously in their October 30 meeting to offer free tuition to the dependents of missionaries serving the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board. “We are honored to assist our IMB families who make such a sacrifice for the sake of the gospel around the world,” said trustee chairman Randy Harper, pastor of Bellaire Baptist Church in Bossier City. “Though the eternal rewards of such servants are in heaven, we all have a responsibility to help meet the temporal needs of those who leave the familiarity of home to brave the foreign fields of ministry.” Harper said the decision “continues the consecutive string of unanimous votes” among LC’s trustees since March 2015, when Rick Brewer was elected president. “The addition of missionaries’ dependents to our student body will enrich our campus culture and literally ‘flesh-out’ the reality of what it means to be on mission with God,” Brewer said. “For those students who have never served on an overseas or stateside mission trip, the concept of missions is just that: conceptual. But with the children of missionaries among our student body, missionary service becomes much more tangible,” … [Read more...]
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