Submitted by philip on Fri, 10/31/2014 - 10:10 Pastors and laypeople primarily from central Louisiana gathered Oct. 22 for a special called day of prayer at Tall Timbers Conference Center. Pastors from Big Creek, Central Louisiana and North Rapides associations, along with Louisiana Baptist Convention President Steve Horn, led the prayers. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer WOODWORTH – Kenny Moore believes revival can come to America but that it must start within the heart of each person. “True revival is when the word of God transforms our hearts,” said Moore, pastor of Carmel Baptist Church in Pineville. “Instead of trying to justify when we do ungodly things, revival needs prayer. And prayer that leads to revival needs humility, and a strong desire to say ‘God is all that I am, is all that I know, I am totally dependent on you.” Moore was among several pastors who offered thoughts and prayers on the special called day of prayer on Oct. 22 at Tall Timbers Conference Center’s Magnolia Room that was attended by about 30 pastors and laypeople. Prayers focused primarily on the needs of the central area of the state, though some attention was given to needs in Louisiana and the nation. Pastors from Big Creek, Central … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 10/31/2014 - 10:07 First Baptist Church Lafayette will host the 167th Annual Meeting of Louisiana Baptists on Nov. 10-11. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer LAFAYETTE – Messengers to next week’s Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting will receive a challenge –­­ engage the next generation and every people group. Louisiana Baptist Convention President Steve Horn’s prayer is that messengers will come away from the meeting, having accepted the challenge issued by the President’s 2020 Commission and ready to reach both groups with the gospel. “I want people to come and be inspired and be encouraged,” Horn said. “Obviously we have to deal with business, but I hope people will look past the business aspects of what we do, to fellowship with other believers across Louisiana and be encouraged and be inspired. “We are trying to follow up on the 2020 vision that was started at last year’s convention,” he continued. “I’m hoping to encourage and energize folks going to their church to reach the next generation and people groups among us.” The next generation and every people group were the two audiences identified as being key to Louisiana Baptists evangelistic and missions efforts over … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 10/31/2014 - 10:16 Frank Page, executive director of the Southern Baptist Convention shows how on his first Bible, another boy’s name was engraved on it, because he couldn’t afford a new one and that one had been returned to the store. Page was the featured speaker at the 125th annual Baptist Association of Greater Baton Rouge session held at Woodlawn Baptist. By Mark H. Hunter, Regional Reporter BATON ROUGE – The executive director of the Southern Baptist Convention exhorted the Baptist Association of Greater Baton Rouge to learn from the church of Ephesus and win more souls for Christ. “I have to believe we are in the last days,” Rev. Dr. Frank Page said after reading Rev. 2:1-7, describing Christ’s declaration to the Church of Ephesus, to “repent” and “return to your first love” or else their lamp-stand will be removed. “I believe the Lord is calling his church back to do what we have not done,” Page said during his sermon to the 125th annual session of BAGBR held Oct. 14, at Woodlawn Baptist Church. “I believe He will hold us accountable.” Christ’s message to the Ephesus church and to today’s church is fourfold: a call, a commendation, a condemnation, and a command, Page preached to about 250 … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 10/31/2014 - 10:18 George Guillory, pastor of Glen Oaks Baptist and parlimentarian of Baptist Association of Greater Baton Rouge, poses with Rev. Dr. Frank Page, CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention, at the 125th annual session of BAGBR. By Mark H. Hunter, Regional Reporter BATON ROUGE - Contrary to the conventional wisdom that the Southern Baptist Convention is primarily a “Southern white” organization, almost 10,000 of the SBC’s 46,124 churches are “ethnic” congregations. “We are – by far – the most ethnically diverse convention on the face of the Earth,” Rev. Dr. Frank Page declared to the 125th annual session of the Baptist Association of Greater Baton Rouge held Oct. 14, at Woodlawn Baptist. Page is the president and CEO of the SBC, a title he described as “chief encouraging officer.” Almost 4,000 SBC churches are African-American, almost 3,000 are Latino or Hispanic, over 2,000 are Asian-American and 28 other recognized  fellowships, brings the ethnic total to nearly 10,000, Page said. “People don’t realize that,” Page said. “They still think we are a Southern, white denomination. Those days are long, long, long gone. We are (also) in almost every county in the nation.” The … [Read more...]

By Kelly Boggs, Message Editor The city of Houston’s decision to subpoena pastors’ sermons and other communications concerning a controversial “equal rights” ordinance reflects a misunderstanding of the First Amendment as well as ignorance about rules for non-profit organizations in relation to political activity. Additionally, it shows a complete misunderstanding of the church’s role in society. In May, Houston’s city council passed the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO). The law passed by a vote of 11-6 and included special protections for the LGBT community. Churches helped organize opposition to the ordinance and launched a petition drive to place it on a ballot so Houston residents would have an opportunity to repeal it. HERO opponents submitted 14,000 more signatures than were needed to qualify the ordinance for a ballot. But city attorney David Feldman declared enough of the signatures invalid to prevent a vote on repeal. In response to the city attorney’s decision, opponents filed suit, charging that the city “wrongly determined that they had not gathered enough valid signatures” to qualify for a repeal vote. After the lawsuit was filed, the city issued subpoenas requiring that five local pastors turn over “all … [Read more...]

By Obbie Todd, Student Pastor at Zoar Baptist Church, Baton Rouge “There was a breach in protocol.” That’s what Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC, told the American public as he attempted to explain how the Ebola virus has now spread to 2 more victims in Dallas, Texas. In the face of rising national panic, the announcement has elevated fears about current hospital protocols and their efficiency in preventing the spread of the virulent disease. Pictures of haz-mat suits and quarantined buildings have recently become commonplace. Thus all eyes are on just two people. While doctors and scientists desperately scramble to battle the deadly virus. All in the name of fighting death. So the country waits. And prays that death won’t find its way in. That is, most of the country. Two thousand miles away one woman waits for the opposite. Instead of fighting death, she invites it. And her decision is sparking a national debate once again over the issue of euthanasia. But in this particular case she’s 29 years old. Her name is Brittany Maynard. And her story is heartbreaking. Brittany was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer only a year after being married. Doctors gave Brittany 6 months to live. After considering the effects of … [Read more...]

By Michael Foust, Editor, writer who writes about parenting, fatherhood at michaelfoust.com Sometimes I wonder if we Christians have missed the mark when it comes to discussing dinosaurs. I think about this often because I have a 6 year old who, honestly, wishes he were a triceratops. Too often we seem to get lost in arguments over the when and how – for instance, “did they live thousands or millions of years ago?” – and we fail to ask a more basic question: Why did God create dinosaurs? For instance, did He make these majestic creatures simply so we could split up into two camps (young earthers and old earthers), or did He make them for the same reason He made the rest of creation: for His glory? And if he made them for His glory – which I believe He did – then why did He have them all die off before you or I would even see them? Here’s what I think: It’s because we will see them again someday, after creation is restored. There is Scriptural evidence for this, and that should excite all Christians – your kids, my kids and the “kid” in all of us – and make us even more amazed at God’s plan for the future. To build the case for why dinosaurs just may be in heaven, we need to start with a more basic question: Will animals be … [Read more...]

By Bob Phillips, Director of Communications at Missouri Baptist Convention The Lisbon earthquake of 1755 changed everything. In minutes, this thriving, affluent city was brought to its knees.   Roughly 50,000 people died. The sky turned black. Fires raged. Then tidal waves washed over the port, drowning hundreds more. Later, Voltaire wrote a poem challenging the prevailing view that this was a divine act of judgment. “Whilst you these facts replete with horror view, will you maintain death to their crimes was due?” Voltaire penned, adding, “Can you then impute a sinful deed, to babes who on their mother’s bosoms feed?” Voltaire did not challenge the existence of God. He simply asked what kind of deity would create a world with such design flaws. It’s a question other thinkers of his day dared to ask as well – a question taken up by today’s ardent atheists and carried to the extreme conclusion that God does not exist. The earthquake and tsunami that devastated Southeast Asia in 2004 and similar disasters that struck Haiti in 2010 and Japan in 2011 are more recent examples of what may be described as natural evil. While many atheists concede that moral evil exists in the world, the idea of natural evil seems to prove … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 10/31/2014 - 10:30 Members and guests of Christ Church in Opelousas gather for a recent worship service. Launched on Sept. 21, the church is a plant of Christ Church in Lafayette that began a multi-site strategy to more effectively reach Acadiana with the Gospel. A supplement grant funded through some Georgia Barnette Offering funds is assisting Christ Church in Opelousas and others to further share the gospel. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer As the year comes to a close, Louisiana Baptist missions efforts are reflecting on a fruitful harvest that has seen significant progress in churches planted along with baptisms and salvation decisions in those new church plants. Through Oct. 29, Louisiana Baptist church planters have started 24 churches this year, eight more than last year’s total of 16. Those church plants this year have resulted in 1,302 decisions to accept Christ and 313 baptisms. Fourteen of the 24 churches planted this year are located in south Louisiana. Also, 14 of those new church plants are non-Anglo (mostly Spanish and African American), though not all are located in south Louisiana. Through 2020 – as part of a plan that came about as a result of the President’s … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message PINEVILLE – The story of the first Baptist pastor to preach west of the Mississippi River is coming to life this month. Theatre Louisiana College is presenting the world premiere of Twice a Slave, a play about the life of Joseph Willis, who is said to have established the first evangelical churches west of the Mississippi River. These churches later became the foundation for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. Performances are Nov. 6, 7, 8, 13, 14 and 15 at 7 p.m. and Nov. 9 and 16 at 2 p.m., all at the Martin Performing Arts Center on campus. The play is adapted from the novel Twice a Slave, written by Louisiana native and evangelist Sammy Tippit and Randy Willis, the fifth great-grandson of Joseph Willis. Tippit will play the part of the elder Joseph Willis, who narrates the play, and will be available to autograph books after each performance. Dr. Pete Richardson, associate professor of theatre at LC, wrote the play. Born the son of a white man and a Cherokee, Willis grew up a slave until his father on his deathbed declared him free. However, his resentful uncle refused to grant him his freedom. A slave on his own property, Willis chose to fight for what was his and eventually found courage to … [Read more...]