[img_assist|nid=7566|title=Hebert Award|desc=John Hebert, LBC Missions and Ministries team leader, recently received the Charles Roesel Ministry Evangelism Award from the North American Mission Board. Featured with Hebert (center) is Jeff Wagner (left) of the NAMB Ministry Evangelism Team and Phyllis Foy (right), president of the Fellowship of State Ministry Evangelism Directors. The award was given in recognition of Hebert’s “commitment to expanding the Kingdom of God demonstrated by the multiplication of churches committed to meeting needs and sharing Christ.”|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=538] … [Read more...]

[img_assist|nid=7568|title=Charles Thompson|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=430][img_assist|nid=7569|title=Gloria Thompson|desc=Louisiana’s newest Mission Service Corps Missionaries are Barnabas Team Leaders Charles and Gloria Thompson of Ascension Baptist Church in Gonzales. They plan to train members of Barnabas teams as well as work alongside church planters to help plant churches and train volunteers throughout Louisiana. Barnabas Team members are volunteers trained in evangelism who help develop core members of church plants.|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=430] … [Read more...]

By Pastor Tony Meinhardt, Cross Point Baptist Church   After visiting the village of Santa Rosa el Rodeo in Guatemala last year, I returned home with a renewed  desire to reach that people group for Christ.[img_assist|nid=7571|title=Church Plant|desc=The Cross Point Bossier City mission team and local residents worshipped together in the new church building even before the roof was raised.|link=none|align=right|width=640|height=480]   After spending a mission week there and discovering there was no evangelical church in that village, I knew this was an opportunity to do something great for the kingdom, but how?   After returning to our home church in Bossier City,  I shared with our small congregation of about 70 that the Lord had placed this opportunity before me and I thought it was something we surely needed to pray about.   Our church, Cross Point Baptist,  is a new church plant and like most new starts, we have our own struggles. Nevertheless,  I was determined not to allow this vision to die. After several weeks of prayer and studying just what it might cost, we set a goal of $30,000. In just a couple of months, we reached our goal and raised an additional $14,000 for the up- keep … [Read more...]

Arrivals/Departures n Chuck (and his wife Melinda) Johnson are starting D’Arbonne Hills Cowboy Church in Ruston, Concord Union Association. DOM: Barry Joyner. n Joe Thibeau: new as pastor of First Patterson from Port Hudson, Zachary. n Ronnie (Shawn) Tarver, new as pastor of East Jena Baptist in Jena. n Clois Cole, resigns as pastor of Bellevue Jena. n Ernest “Ernie” Nelson: new as pastor of First Doyline. n Mike Russell, resigns as pastor Pinegrove Jena. n Paul (wife Joyce) Pearson: new as pastor of Fellowship Central (Baton Rouge). Needed/Giving n First Ferriday needs a bivocational or part-time family/youth minister. Send resumes to Search Committee, P O Box 386, Ferriday LA 71334 or email wayne@ferridayfbc.com. n Elwood Forest Hill needs a part-time youth pastor. Send resumes to Elwood Baptist Church, 213 Elwood Rd, Forest Hill LA 71430 or email elwoodbaptist@centurytel.net. n Longview Baptist Church needs a pianist for Sunday services, blended worship. Call Longview Baptist Church at 318.466.5313. Homecomings, Anniversaries, Revivals n Buelah Many: 50th anniversary Sept. 11 of Kenneth Ray Leach Sr. in the ministry, including 41 years at Beulah Baptist. Meal to follow service. n Faith New Orleans 10:30 a.m. Sept. … [Read more...]

[img_assist|nid=7574|title=New Family Life Center|desc=Pastor Dwayne Monk (in suit) and members of New Hope Choudrant break ground for a Family Life Center.|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=427] … [Read more...]

[img_assist|nid=7576|title=Special Baptism|desc=Harry Wilson, 96 and a member at Amite Baptist Church in Denham Springs, recently baptized his great-granddaughter, Meghan Dunn, 7, at Amite. In previous years he had baptized his mother, his daughter, his granddaughter and two other great-granddaughters. Terry Booth is pastor of Amite Denham Springs.|link=none|align=left|width=481|height=640] 0 … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message CHOUDRANT – When Hurricane Katrina hit six years ago, New Hope Baptist Church gave money and labor to help refugees at Camp Harris. “The Red Cross wouldn’t certify our building [to house refugees] because we didn’t have showers,” said Pastor Dwayne Monk. “We’re going to do away with their objections.” The church is doing so by building an 8,750 square foot family life center. Groundbreaking was Aug. 14. It’s a metal building with regulation high school gymnasium, three classrooms, restrooms with showers, and a laundry. “We want to be able to minister any way we can,” Monk said. “We want to be able to help in disasters. Showers and laundry are among a thousand ministries we can provide.” About 130 people participate in Sunday morning worship at New Hope Choudrant. Monk has been pastor there 12 years. 0 … [Read more...]

[img_assist|nid=7579|title=Sunday School webcast training|desc=A webcast, featuring six cameras, a teleprompter and big screen, was presented by the LBC's Sean Keith on Aug. 21 for Sunday School training. This first-ever event was broadcast live to churches across Louisiana as well as in Mississippi and Texas.|link=none|align=right|width=640|height=427]By Karen L. Willoughby, Managing Editor   ALEXANDRIA – “In too many churches and too many Bible study ministries, we settle for good when God wants us to accomplish the great,” writes Sean Keith in The Value of a Vibrant Sunday School.   Keith is Sunday School/Discipleship Strategist for the Louisiana Baptist Convention.   He used the five values he writes about in the book for the LBC’s first-ever webcast of Sunday School training, which took place Aug. 21 in the Baptist Building, with Tioga First and Parkview Alexandria serving as the studio audience.   The webcast replaces major regional Sunday School training this year.   Six cameras, a teleprompter and big screen were among the equipment used. A producer from LifeWay Christian Resources in Nashville provided her expertise.   LBC Media Production … [Read more...]

By Marilyn Stewart, Regional Reporter   A trial by fire. A transformation by grace. No church in the New Orleans area – flooded, or not – escaped the refining fire of Hurricane Katrina’s wrath.[img_assist|nid=7581|title=Return to normal|desc=The renovated worship center of Edgewater Baptist Church in New Orleans.|link=none|align=right|width=640|height=427]   Though the story of these four churches reads differently, the ending is the same. God has brought them to a better place.   What a storm reveals   Some members still joke that Edgewater Baptist Church, four blocks from the London Avenue Canal levee break, was “Underwater Baptist Church” after Hurricane Katrina came to call. The flood meant devastating loss and an almost complete turnover of membership. It was also an answer to prayer.   Three miles from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary campus, the church struggled before the storm to be more than simply a “seminary church.”   “Now we are more intentional in reaching the community, have more community members involved, and are more willing to work with other churches in ministry,” said Charlie Ray, a long-time member and deacon.   This … [Read more...]