Fall is here! Now is the time to plan for a fall festival or an alternative to Halloween for your community. Fall is here! Now is the time to plan for a fall festival or an alternative to Halloween for your community. Depending on how large an outreach you are planning, you may or may not be behind in preparing for the event. With proper planning, special evangelistic events such as these can have a tremendous impact on your congregation. Under a canopy of pine trees, Pine Grove Baptist Church in Ruby, La., ministers to 150 people on an average Sunday morning. Recently, pastor Dwayne Rogers led his church to host a Community Celebration. Besides games, inflatables and lots of food, the church set up a tent for groups to sing. It was an old-fashioned community picnic. They even invited local politicians to come meet their people. The members had a prayer booth, a missions booth and a booth for guests to receive a special gift packet. The church wanted their guests to feel special and welcome at Pine Grove, and their hard work paid off. The following Sunday, four new families accepted the church’s offer to attend services. That one event increased their attendance 10 percent. Planning for this type of event … [Read more...]

At first there were four Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief meal preparation sites in or near Houma in the wake of Gustav’s gouge, said Wayne Hunt, pastor of Coteau Baptist. HOUMA – At first there were four Southern Baptist Convention Disaster Relief meal preparation sites in or near Houma in the wake of Gustav’s gouge, said Wayne Hunt, pastor of Coteau Baptist. Arkansas was set up at the Houma Town Hall; North Carolina at the Civic Center; Kentucky was at University Baptist in Thibodaux; Oklahoma was at Christ Baptist; and Tennessee at Coteau Baptist. “One by one they started leaving, until all the meal preparation was taking place here,” Hunt said. “People have no idea how bad it was with the double-whammy of these two storms. According to the national press, Gustav is the storm that missed New Orleans, but the eye went over Houma and Thibodaux, just like Betsy.” Hunt monitored the National Hurricane Center’s report of Gustav’s onslaught of Houma/Thibodaux. “Two hours later, the eye hadn’t moved 10 miles,” the pastor reported. “Ike brought in the storm surge; Gustav, wind. Over 10,000 homes were flooded, all under water. “The coolest thing about the way our church responded is that they acted out what … [Read more...]

“Upwards of 25,000 children die from hunger or hunger-related causes every single day, somewhere in the world,” according to materials produced by the Louisiana Baptist Agricultural Missions Fellowship. “People who have adequate food have many problems, but those who have no food have only one problem.” ALEXANDRIA – “Upwards of 25,000 children die from hunger or hunger-related causes every single day, somewhere in the world,” according to materials produced by the Louisiana Baptist Agricultural Missions Fellowship. “People who have adequate food have many problems, but those who have no food have only one problem.” We have hunger issues right here in Louisiana. Ruby Holder at Delta Storefront Ministries in Ferriday – part of the poverty-stricken Mississippi River Delta – tells of providing upwards of 500 families a month with “gap” groceries that tide families over until their next too-small paycheck. Delta is one of more than 30 community ministries in Louisiana that routinely provide emergency grocery assistance, according to records maintained by John Hebert, Louisiana Baptist Convention’s Church and Community Ministries director. Routine. Emergency. Groceries. How is it possible those three words could be in the same … [Read more...]

Ag Missionary Kerry Johnson starts a new egg incubation project for a Zapotec family … [Read more...]

The Louisiana Ag Mission Fellowship focuses on a wide range of both plant and animal projects. The Louisiana Ag Mission Fellowship focuses on a wide range of both plant and animal projects, as well as community water projects, while at the same time taking advantage of every opportunity to share the gospel and the abundant life to be found in Jesus Christ. The result is economic and spiritual development – one person, one family, one community at a time.   … [Read more...]

According to Pastor Donald Paul Miller, he and his congregation are working hard in the trenches to combat crime in the name of Jesus. Allen Temple Baptist Church Greater New Orleans Baptist Association AVONDALE – According to Pastor Donald Paul Miller, he and his congregation are working hard in the trenches to combat crime in the name of Jesus. One area he and his people are working hard in is the Iberville Housing projects in New Orleans, which were hit hard by Katrina. It is an area of 600 households and violent crime is a real problem for the residents. “We are going back there [regularly] with … the Gospel and trying to stop the murder,” Miller said. “The murder rate has dropped.” Spiritual fruit has also been harvested. “In the projects, I’ve seen five people accept Christ,” he added. “We channel them to local churches” for discipleship and fellowship. Miller also has been going to the French Quarter passing out literature that says, “Smile, Jesus loves you.” He’s celebrating Jesus with the people there. “I’m trying to reduce the suicide rate,” he said. “If you take it to the people personally, it’s more likely [they’ll listen]. … They want to know we are concerned about them.” Airline … [Read more...]

The Barataria Baptist Church is located in the town of Jean Lafitte, named for the infamous pirate whose headquarters were hidden in those wetlands and who assisted General Andrew Jackson in defeating the British at New Orleans early in 1815. JEAN LAFITTE – The Barataria Baptist Church is located in the town of Jean Lafitte, named for the infamous pirate whose headquarters were hidden in those wetlands and who assisted General Andrew Jackson in defeating the British at New Orleans early in 1815. The pastor at Barataria is Eddie Painter, a down-home son of Mississippi who has brought his wife and teenage daughter to live among the people down there in the swamps. I’ve told on [my blog] how Eddie wasted no time in connecting with the people of this fishing village: He bought himself a boat and some crab traps and went into business for himself. He moved into the pastor’s residence next door to the church and commuted to the seminary, perhaps 25 or 30 miles upriver and across town. Eddie is 40 years old and sports a salt-and-pepper beard. Under Eddie’s leadership, the church has been prospering. A few months ago, they went to two morning worship services – the first time I recall that happening at Barataria. And then … [Read more...]

Declaring “you have been sent by the Father,” North American Mission Board President Geoff Hammond and other NAMB leaders commissioned 108 missionaries and chaplains to the North American mission field during a celebration service at First Baptist Church in New Orleans. NEW ORLEANS (BP) – Declaring “you have been sent by the Father,” North American Mission Board President Geoff Hammond and other NAMB leaders commissioned 108 missionaries and chaplains to the North American mission field during a celebration service at First Baptist Church in New Orleans. In 1845, Southern Baptists created the Domestic Mission Board in large part to reach and minister to people in the city of New Orleans – at the time, the largest city in the South. “We were the city singled out in 1845 because we were so special,” said David Crosby, senior pastor of First New Orleans. In this city where 2005’s Hurricane Katrina still hovers as a prominent backdrop to so many things, Crosby thanked NAMB and Southern Baptists for the many ministry efforts that have focused on the city in the last three years. “New Orleans is still a mission field,” he said during the Oct. 6 service. David Hankins, executive director of the Louisiana Baptist … [Read more...]

Northwest Louisiana Baptist Association presented Director of Missions Eddie DeHondt with an oversized ceremonial check for $5,000 during the NLBA’s 38th annual meeting Oct. 13. SHREVEPORT – Northwest Louisiana Baptist Association presented Director of Missions Eddie DeHondt with an oversized ceremonial check for $5,000 during the NLBA’s 38th annual meeting Oct. 13. The check was in appreciation for DeHondt’s dedicated commitment to God’s work in and through the association for the last 10 years, explained moderator Gevan Spinney, pastor of First Baptist Church of Haughton. A mass choir of people from the 117 congregations in Caddo and Bossier parishes, directed by Eddie Sirven, minister of music at Trinity Heights Baptist Church in Shreveport, led in worship before a streamlined business session. John Bisagno, pastor emeritus of First Baptist Houston, followed with a keynote address on the Great Commission as presented from the perspective of the four gospel writers. But it was obvious from the frequent and sustained applause that it was DeHondt’s night as much as it was a celebratory fellowship for NLBA churches. In his report as written in the 2008 annual book of reports, DeHondt described the work of the … [Read more...]

NEEDED Part-time minister of youth at First Baptist, Dubach: call 318.777.8193. Associate Pastor of Education/Administration at First Baptist Church, Ruston; send resume to: First Baptist Church, Attn: Dr. Chris Craig, 200 South Trenton St., Ruston, LA 71270. Part-time minister of music at First Baptist, Bernice; call 318.285.9336. Bi-vocational music director/minister music at First Baptist Vienna; call 318.255.8050. Youth director at Pine Grove Baptist, Bernice; send resume to Mike Smith, 1167 Pine Grove Church Road, Bernice LA 71222. Part-time minister of music at Cross Roads Baptist, Farmerville; send resume to Andy Johnson Cross Roads Baptist Church, 9027, Hwy. 143, Farmerville, LA 71241. Part-time minister of music at Crestview Baptist, Farmerville; call 318.292.4159. Full-time youth pastor and full-time music minister at Houston River Baptist, Sulphur; send resume to 110 W. Houston River Road, Sulphur, LA 70663. ANNIVERSARIES AND CELEBRATIONS SPRINGHILL – Temple Baptist: Recognition and Celebration of Wayne Reeves retirement 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 26; Wayne Reeves, pastor. TAYLOR – Taylor Baptist: 119th Anniversary Sunday, Oct. 26; Jimmy Eppinette, pastor. MARINGOUIN – First Baptist: 80th … [Read more...]