By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA (LBM) – For the past nine years, Wayne Sheppard has been on mission with Louisiana Baptists, fulfilling a Great Commission commitment in a number of ways. He has given leadership to a project to build a pastor’s training center and children’s village, helping Louisiana Baptists establish a strategic foothold in Haiti. Likewise, he led the effort to engage Louisiana Baptists in the evangelization of Belarus through the distribution of Bibles – with 4 in every 10 recipients surrendering their lives to Christ! Now Sheppard is set to retire, Dec. 31, as missions partnership mobilizer for Louisiana Baptists. However, he will continue to pursue his passion for reaching the lost – as pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Casa Grande, Arizona. “I never dreamed God would have allowed me to serve Louisiana Baptists in this role by connecting them with missions opportunities here in the United States and around the world,” Sheppard said. “But the Lord opened that door to help me live out a passion of helping churches do missions to the ends of the earth. We’ve been able to make so many connections and build so many relationships to see some significant things happen since we’ve … [Read more...]
Archives for November 2017
LBC DOMs’ offer hope, gift cards to Texas pastors, DOMs
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA (LBM) – Two Louisiana Baptist directors of missions took a recent out-of-state road trip to deliver a heartfelt love offering to Texas pastors and directors of missions whose homes were damaged by Hurricane Harvey. Ron Thompson, director of missions for District 8 Baptist Convention, and Stan Statham, director of missions for Baptist Associations of Southeast Louisiana, on the behalf of the Louisiana Directors of Missions Fellowship, visited 12 associations along the Texas Gulf Coast, Oct. 24-25. By the end of the tour, they had given nearly $30,000 in gift cards to 12 directors of missions to distribute in $300 bundles to 95 pastors. Two of those directors of missions also were given a $500 gift card. Thompson, who is treasurer of the Louisiana Directors of Missions Fellowship, told the Baptist Message that every association in the state participated in some way, from praying to giving money during a four-week period leading up to the two days of gift cards distribution, and, he said the effort to give back to Texans who helped Louisianans during the 2016 floods was heartwarming. “Like any disaster relief work, we’re always able to do far more together than we are … [Read more...]
Marshawn Lynch sits for U.S. national anthem, stands for Mexico’s anthem
Atlanta nurse ignores dying vet’s gasps for help
Second woman accuses Al Franken of sexual assault, this time as senator
LBC honors six new churches accepted into membership
By Staff, Baptist Message Six churches accepted into membership of the Louisiana Baptist Convention during the 2017 Annual Meeting were honored during a reception Nov. 13 at Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge. … [Read more...]
Argentine sub suffered breakdown, satellite calls not from crew
Triumph emerges from Puerto Rico tragedy
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PONCE, Puerto Rico (LBM) -- Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief team members are rejoicing about 14 souls saved by Christ during a recent mission effort in Puerto Rico. The team of 10 from Baton Rouge, Eastern Louisiana, North Rapides, Two Rivers and Washington Baptist Associations arrived in Puerto Rico Oct. 28 to a scene of nearly complete destruction caused by Hurricane Maria in early September. They worked alongside six college students from the Canadian National Baptist Convention and a missionary of the International Mission Board, performing a variety of tasks to help meet physical needs of the island’s residents during the eight-day trip, but also attending to the peoples’ eternal needs. “Very quickly we realized the Holy Spirit had gone before us to prepare the hearts of those we encountered,” Bruce Worrell, pastor of Sherwood Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, told the Baptist Message. “Although we met some strong believers in Christ, most of those we encountered had no assurance of salvation. But they were ready to hear what the Word of God said, and they listened attentively to the plan of salvation, and asked through genuine repentance for God to forgive them of their … [Read more...]
Afghan police officer saves many by hugging suicide bomber, absorbing blast
YEC yields 1,081 decisions for Christ
By Message Staff LAFAYETTE - Organizers and participants of the 30th Youth Evangelism Celebration are thankful for the 1,081 students who made a decision for Christ. "YEC was truly a celebration of the past and present," Louisiana Baptists Youth Ministry Strategist Steve Maltempti told the Baptist Message. "A history of excellence propels YEC forward. Students and teenagers are engaged with relevant entertainment and the Gospel message." Held Nov. 19-20 inside Lafayette's Cajundome, YEC challenged Louisiana Baptist teens to share what Christ has done in their lives through messages by evangelist Clayton King. He encouraged students not to believe the lies of Satan but instead lean on God's truth. "The biggest lie is God doesn't love you," King told the students during one of his messages. "That's a lie. God loves you. He loved you so much that He made a path for you to be saved." During all four sessions, King offered a chance for students to step forward and declare a decision for Christ. By the end of the two-day spiritual encounter, 1,081 students had made some type of faith decision: 325 statements of belief, 212 responses to a call to ministry, 463 acts of repentance to restore fellowship with Christ and 81 … [Read more...]
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