-OAKDALE – First Baptist: Boomerang Express June 1 through June 5; Michael McIntosh, interim pastor. -WINNSBORO – First Baptist: Boomerang Express June 1 through June 5; Troy Long, interim pastor. -VIDALIA – First Baptist: Boomerang Express June 1 through June 5; Dan Glenn, pastor. -JONESBORO – First Baptist: June 22 through June 26; Charles Wesley, pastor. -JONESVILLE – First Baptist: Boomerang Express June 8 through June 12; Gary Norris, pastor. -NEW IBERIA – Highland Baptist: Boomerang Express June 15 through June 19; David Denton, pastor. -HODGE – Hodge Baptist: Outrigger Island May 31 through June 4; Norris Curry, pastor. -MINDEN – First Baptist: Boomerang Express June 15 through June 19; Wayne DuBose, pastor. -ALEXANDRIA – Parkview Baptist: Boomerang Express June 15 through Friday, June 19; David Shaw, pastor. -FERRIDAY – First Baptist: Boomerang Express June 1 through June 5; Wayne Gray, pastor. -LAROSE – First Baptist: Boomerang Express June 8 through June 12; Gary Hanberry, pastor. -LOCKPORT – First Baptist: Boomerang Express June 8 through June 12; Marty Guidry, pastor. -THIBODAUX – University Baptist: Boomerang Express June 8 through June 12; Jim Duck, pastor. -HOUMA – Christ … [Read more...]

DENHAM SPRINGS – Eastern Louisiana Baptist Association: Bossier City; June 8 through June 12; David Brown, director of missions. -ALEXANDRIA – Parkview Baptist: New Orleans Friday, May 29 through Saturday, May 30; David Shaw, pastor. -ALEXANDRIA – Temple Baptist: Food Bank Items Collected April 13 through April 26; James Sample, pastor. -WEST MONROE – Highland Baptist: Honduras May 24 through May 30; Gordon Dean, pastor. -BLANCHARD – First Baptist: Brownsville, Texas June 5 through June 13; James Hill, pastor. -RUSTON – Cook Baptist: Navajo Country June 6 through June 13; Mike Holloway, pastor. -COVINGTON – First Baptist: Bogota, Columbia June 20 through July 4; Waylon Bailey, pastor. -BATON ROUGE – Florida Boulevard Baptist: City Uprising 09 New York Mission for Students June 27 through July 2; Randy Johnson, pastor. -WEST MONROE – First Baptist: Wales June 28 through July 7; John Avant, pastor. -LAKE CHARLES – Trinity Baptist: Upward Missions in Baltimore, Md.  July 18 through July 25; Steve James, pastor. -BLANCHARD – First Baptist: Romania July 25 through August 7; James Hill, pastor. -WEST MONROE – Cedar Crest Baptist: Caribou, Maine August 1 through August 9; Gregory Clark, pastor. -WEST … [Read more...]

Northwest Louisiana Baptist Association SHREVEPORT – A reception is planned for 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 16, at Summer Grove Baptist Church for retiring Director of Missions Eddie DeHondt. “Bro. Eddie is leaving a large legacy behind him,” wrote Gevan Spinney, associational moderator, in a letter sent to Friends of Bro. Eddie from the administrative council of the association. “The Northwest Association has grown in number of churches, missions and various ministries are being added,” Spinney added. “His encouragement, leadership, wisdom, insight and much more has been felt by the congregations of this Association.” A memory book is being prepared for DOM DeHondt, with letters of appreciation to be included. If you would like to have a letter from you or your church included, please send it to Pattie Yeatts, 901 Mitchell Ln., Shreveport LA 71106. Want a VBS? STATEWIDE – Jeff Ingram, adult ministry strategist at the Louisiana Baptist Convention, has a summer VBS team for zero/low baptism churches. Qualifiers: 1. Zero or low baptisms; 2. Potential for children to be reached; 3. Willingness to prepare for VBS; and 4. Willingness to follow up with prospects discovered during VBS. The LBC will … [Read more...]

COMINGS AND GOINGS -David McCormick, new as worship pastor Cedar Crest, West Monroe. -Cory Taylor, new as associate pastor of youth and children, First Baptist, Lake Providence. -Jarrod Hegwood, new as minister of education and evangelism, Live Oak Baptist, Denham Springs. -Louis Strain retires as pastor of Bethel Baptist Shreveport after 50 years. AVAILABLE -Piano and office chairs at New Birth Baptist Shreveport; call 318.221.5221. -Upright pianos and organ at Foster Road Baptist Baton Rouge to donate; call 225.775.0884. NEEDED -Used bus at North Shreve Baptist Shreveport; call 318.423.1088 or 318.560.1640. -Part-time youth director at First Baptist Port Allen; send resume to PO Box 437, Port Allen LA 70767 or email tracyhebert@cox.net. -Bi-vocational youth minister at Oak Grove Baptist Eros; call 318.249.4282. -Minister of music at First Baptist Wisner; send resume to PO Box 917, Wisner LA 71378. DEDICATIONS -GRAND CHENIER – Oak Grove Baptist: 10 a.m. Sunday, May 31; Ray Shawa, pastor. -VIDALIA – First Baptist: Sanctuary Dedication 10:30 a.m. Sunday, May 31; Dan Glenn, pastor. -SHONGALOO – Union Springs Baptist:  Dedication of sanctuary  was Saturday, May 9; Larry Buford, … [Read more...]

Reaction to the “Great Commission Resurgence” declaration in various quarters of Southern Baptist life includes questions about its tone, focus and lack of clarity. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – Reaction to the “Great Commission Resurgence” declaration in various quarters of Southern Baptist life includes questions about its tone, focus and lack of clarity. Article IX of the document, which was released April 27 at greatcommissionresurgence.com, asserted that some denominational structures “need to be streamlined for more faithful stewardship of the funds entrusted to them” and called on Southern Baptists to “address with courage and action where there is overlap and duplication of ministries, and where poor stewardship is present.” “We must take steps toward simplifying our denominational structures in an effort to streamline our structure, clarify our institutional identity, and maximize our resources for Great Commission priorities,” the document said. “Our denomination must be restructured at every level to facilitate a more effective pursuit of these priorities.” That softened the language of an earlier version, which echoed chapel remarks by Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, that the … [Read more...]

If Southern Baptists want to see a “Great Commission Resurgence,” Henry Blackaby believes they need to focus on the relationship between disciples and the living Lord Jesus, not launch a new emphasis on evangelism. ATLANTA (BP) – If Southern Baptists want to see a “Great Commission Resurgence,” Henry Blackaby believes they need to focus on the relationship between disciples and the living Lord Jesus, not launch a new emphasis on evangelism. “I have felt for a long time that Southern Baptists have focused on evangelism and missed discipleship,” Blackaby told Baptist Press May 11. “The most important part of the Great Commission is ‘teach them to practice everything I have commanded you.’ That’s discipleship and that’s the heart of the Great Commission. If we want to have a resurgence in the Great Commission, there’s got to be a refocusing on the priorities of Christ for discipleship.” Blackaby, a longtime pastor, college president and coauthor of the “Experiencing God” series of Bible study materials, said declining baptism and membership statistics in the Southern Baptist Convention reflect not so much a lack of passion for Christ’s command to make disciples as a lack of relationship with Jesus Christ. “When you hear … [Read more...]

For now the small brick ranch on Dreux Avenue is quiet, except for the scraping of the putty knife Andy King is using on some recently hung drywall. EDITOR’S NOTE – Operation Noah Rebuild is a three-year partnership project (through August 2009) between New Orleans churches and associations, the Louisiana Baptist Convention, and the North American Mission Board to help New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. The goal of Operation NOAH Rebuild is to rebuild 1,000 houses and 20 churches using volunteer labor by August of 2009. Thousands of volunteers are still needed to help Operation Noah Rebuild realize this goal of rebuilding 1,000 homes; start, restart, or strengthen churches; and reach people with the good news of Jesus Christ. NEW ORLEANS – For now the small brick ranch on Dreux Avenue is quiet, except for the scraping of the putty knife Andy King is using on some recently hung drywall. That and the intermittent explanation of what it takes to do a good drywall job. “It’s tough work and very few people want to do it,” says Andy, a 66-year-old retired pastor, farmer, and drywall specialist with the Baptist Bricklayers of Tennessee. He works his large putty knife along a rough ceiling seam trying to … [Read more...]

Angola State Penitentiary, the nation’s largest maximum security prison, houses 5,108 inmates of whom 3,200 are serving life sentences with little or no hope of parole or freedom. ANGOLA – Angola State Penitentiary, the nation’s largest maximum security prison, houses 5,108 inmates of whom 3,200 are serving life sentences with little or no hope of parole or freedom. The average sentence of an inmate is 90 years, and 90 percent of those inmates will die in the 18,000-acre facility. How then does an inmate get set free? “The only way many will ever be set free is through a relationship with Jesus Christ,” Louisiana Baptist Convention Evangelism and Church Growth Director Wayne Jenkins said. “Many of these men will never leave the confines of this prison physically, but spiritually, by professing their faith in Jesus Christ and asking forgiveness of their sins, they will be set free spiritually.” Jenkins, along with 150 pastors and volunteers from churches across the state, tried to do just that last Friday and Saturday during the LBC’s annual Angola Prison Revival. And 275 inmates jumped at the chance. “In speaking with Keith (evangelism associate Keith Manuel) I understand from the cards we got back there were 275 … [Read more...]

In response to reduced giving during the current economic downturn, International Mission Board trustees approved suspending new appointments to the International Service Corps and Masters programs during their May 19-20 meeting in Denver. DENVER (BP) – In response to reduced giving during the current economic downturn, International Mission Board trustees approved suspending new appointments to the International Service Corps and Masters programs during their May 19-20 meeting in Denver. The IMB also will reduce the number of new appointments to its career, apprentice and associate programs. New appointments will continue on a more selective basis, involving the most strategic assignments. Southern Baptist Convention President Johnny Hunt, who spoke at the meeting, said, “It is not acceptable in my heart that we can have missionaries in the pipeline and need to tell them we can’t send them. “I believe that the people of God will rise to the occasion,” said Hunt, pastor of the Atlanta-area First Baptist Church in Woodstock. But Hunt also noted: “We will have a significant reduction [of missionary appointments] in 2010 ... unless Southern Baptists respond.” This comes after a year when Southern Baptists sent out … [Read more...]

Ohhhhh, now I get it. All these years I thought people flocked to Billy Graham events because of his reputation. Instead, it’s because people start praying for their friends, relatives and coworkers – in this case, schoolmates – who don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. STATEWIDE – Ohhhhh, now I get it. All these years I thought people flocked to Billy Graham events because of his reputation. Instead, it’s because people start praying for their friends, relatives and coworkers – in this case, schoolmates – who don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. And after the Christians pray, they invite the ones they are praying for to hear Billy Graham! In this case – Rock the River in Baton Rouge on Saturday, July 18 – it is to be Franklin Graham speaking in short fragments between not one or two but SIX nationally-known bands. “This is just for youth,” Graham said in February at an introductory Rock the River explanatory meeting, which took place at Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge. “There are young kids today by the millions who don’t know God loves them. This has been a burden on my heart.” Awareness-building meetings took place in several locations across Louisiana and Mississippi … [Read more...]