Archives for 2021

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer SOROCABA, Brazil (LBM) – COVID-19 travel restrictions caused the cancellation of last year’s annual Louisiana Baptist-led mission trip to Brazil, but plans are moving forward to return to the country this summer. While many unknowns face the team, trip coordinator David Denton is confident God has prepared the field for a spiritual harvest in a country searching for hope. “COVID has reminded us we don’t know tomorrow but we are hopeful in the truest sense,” Denton told the Baptist Message. “We are planning weekly and monthly and trusting in God’s providence.” Denton, pastor of Highland Baptist Church in New Iberia, said the team will participate in the usual projects that include construction of chapels for local congregations, evangelism on the streets, drama performances and Vacation Bible School. But he offered that the pandemic has brought additional ministry opportunities because of high unemployment, rising food prices and restrictions on meeting inside church facilities. These new opportunities include funding food packages for families in need ($23 each) and donating food for local pastors and their families. Denton said more than $6,000 has been raised for … [Read more...]

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 Byron Comish is the interim pastor at First Baptist Church, Springfield. Nick, wife Kara, Watts is the new minister to students at First Baptist Church, Lafayette. Juri Thompson is the new youth minister at Cheniere, West Monroe. REVIVAL Sweetwater Baptist Church, Quitman: Revival, February 28-March 3. Evangelist: Bill Britt. Pastor: Wilton Wall. Ouachita Baptist Church, West Monroe: Revival, March 7-10. Evangelist: Bill Britt. Pastor: Mike Holloway. Louisiana College, Pineville: Chapel, March 9-11, Evangelist: Chip Luter. Lonestar Baptist Church, Pitkin: Revival, March 7-10, Marh 7, 11 a.m. & 6 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. Evangelist: Sam Moore. Music Evangelist: Arlen Smith. Lord’s Ambassadors of DeRidder will provide speach music on March 7. Pastor: John Elliott. First … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer COVINGTON, La. (LBM) – Jay Johnston, a long-time Louisiana Baptist minister and founder of Jay Johnston Ministry, has launched two webinars designed to encourage others to pray more fervently and to be reminded that Christ is the hope to endure. Launched in early February, both webinars are free and offered on his website, jayjohnston.org. “How to Pray” airs at 8 p.m. Sundays, and “The Hope Call” occurs at noon every Tuesday. “We all face life-dominating issues, and through Christ we can experience hope and victory no matter the problems we face today,” Johnston told the Baptist Message. ““My hope is to share resources and direct people to local churches and get them connected. If God will use this as a force to encourage people, then I am all about it. It’s for His glory. I want to be available to Him as an instrument and be faithful.” Johnston said God created a burden in his heart to start the webinars after frequent visits with others in Louisiana and phone calls with others in surrounding states. Most people he engaged with indicated they were discouraged and needed direction. “Just recognizing a sense of hopelessness among people and being a spiritual leader in … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer WEST MONROE, La. (LBM) – Feb. 14 was more than a holiday for Dustin Lee and his six-year-old daughter, Micah, and greater than the small expressions of love exchanged through cards and small gifts among their family. Instead, it was a day that marked the love of the Father for His child. A month after confessing her sins and asking Christ into her life, the youngster proclaimed that commitment publicly as her father baptized her to affirm her adoption as a child of God. “Micah had questions for a while and on the first Sunday night in January she told my wife, Alisha, and me she was ready,” Lee, minister to children at First West, told the Baptist Message, “Right there in our home, we got the privilege of sitting with her as she said she was a sinner and asked God in her heart. As dads our highest calling and privilege is to pray for our children and walk alongside them in their faith journey. This extends to the time from before they accept him to when they grow more to become a disciple of Him.” Micah was joined by three other children for baptism during “Wear Red Sunday” at First West. During the service, children wore red shirts to proclaim their love for … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor DEVILLE, La. (LBM) — The Conservative Baptist Network announced Feb. 18 the launch of its Louisiana state chapter, with more states soon to launch as it expands as a localized, grassroots effort, according to organizational sources. In a statement released to the Baptist Message, the CBN shared that Philip Robertson, Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee member (2018-present) and two-time past president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention (2004-2005), will serve as the lead state coordinator. Robertson is senior pastor of Philadelphia Baptist Church, Deville, with a campus in Alexandria, and served as a member of the Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board (1997-2003), including two years as LBCEB president (2001-2002). He also was a trustee of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (2003-2006). Robertson currently serves in various capacities for his local association and state convention. “I joined the Conservative Baptist Network for two reasons,” Robertson said. “One, because I believe there are important issues affecting our churches and the SBC that need to be addressed, and two, because CBN is a ‘pro’ Southern Baptist Convention movement. I … [Read more...]