By Hannah Boggs, Message Staff Writer TIOGA – Getting a ‘full ride’ to college is truly an accomplishment.  Winning the Clyde and Elizabeth Smith Memorial Scholarship is even more so. So, one can only imagine how excited Tioga graduate Paige Dubois was to learn she had accomplished both. The Smith Memorial Scholarship, one of the highest honors given at Louisiana College, provides her tuition and room and board for four years at the school. And to earn the scholarship is no small feat. “Students must score 28 or above on the ACT to be eligible to compete for the scholarship,” said Byron McGee, LC’s director of enrollment management. “The competition consists of leadership exercises and interview with LC faculty members on leadership qualities, Christian character and academic strength. We have a number apply for it but only one student is selected each year.” Dubois hadn’t always planned on going to LC. “Actually, I wanted to go to LSU,” she said. “I mean that’s every kid’s dream in Louisiana is to go to LSU. But I also applied to nine other schools including Texas A&M, Texas Tech, even to Harvard just to see. I definitely wanted to keep my options open. “My parents were prepared to pay my way to LSU or A&M,” Dubois … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 07/11/2014 - 11:16 Tony Thibodeaux, pastor of Barataria Baptist, and his family answered God’s calling to come to storm-ravaged Barataria Baptist Church. He is helping lead his congregation as they work on building a new sanctuary with the hopes of moving into the new building debt free by the summer of 2015. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer LAFITTE – Barataria Baptist has had its share of storms. When Hurricane Katrina made landfall near New Orleans, the church sustained damage to its property but rebuilt. And when Hurricane Gustav came onshore and caused extensive water damage to some of its renovated buildings, the church did just as it did during Katrina – planned to rebuild. By the summer of 2015, the congregation plans to move debt-free into its new sanctuary that will adjoin the current structure that is serving as both a worship center and fellowship hall at the moment. The church hopes to start erecting a new building in October. “So soon after that, if any churches are looking to do some mission work, we will definitely need volunteers to help with construction,” said Tony Thibodeaux, pastor of Barataria Baptist. Billy Puckett, director of community ministries for New Orleans … [Read more...]

ON THE MOVE Chuck Johnston is new as interim pastor at Pleasure Point Baptist Church, Homer. Mike Thibodeaux is new as music director at Unity Baptist Church, Cotton Valley. Cole Landreth has resigned as worship pastor at Colyell Baptist Church, Livingston. Mike (wife Jennifer) Tricell new as music minister at Willow Point Baptist Church, Shreveport. Todd (wife Amy) Young new as education/outreach minister at Summer Grove Baptist Church, Shreveport. Richard (wife Mary) Thomas new as pastor of Gethsemane Baptist Church, Shreveport. Meredith Hanna new as children’s minister at First Baptist Church, Shreveport. Katie (husband Aaron) Mussat new as youth/student minister at First Baptist Church, Shreveport. Cecil Marr resigned as pastor of Pinecroft Baptist Church, Shreveport. REVIVAL/HOMECOMING Ferry Lake Baptist Church, Oil City: 77th Anniversary Service July 20, 10:30 a.m. Speaker: Lane Moore. Music: Hardy Yeats. Lunch will follow the services. Pastor: Ralph Hines. Pine Ridge Baptist Church, DeRidder: July 20-23, 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. (July 20) and 7 p.m. July 21-23. Worship: Price Harris. Pastor: Ray Clark. Temple Baptist Church, Ruston: Marvelous Mondays, July 21, 28, and August 4. Speakers: Bill Hardin, Rob Futral, … [Read more...]

NASHVILLE (BP) – Contributions to Southern Baptist Convention missions and ministries through the Cooperative Program totaled 98.38 percent of the budgeted goal through the third quarter ending June 30, SBC Executive Committee President Frank S. Page has announced. The $141,298,445.60 the Executive Committee received during the first nine months of the fiscal year, Oct. 1 - June 30, for distribution through the Cooperative Program Allocation Budget is 1.62 percent short of the $143,625,000 year-to-date budgeted amount. The total represents money received by the close of the last business day of June and includes receipts from state conventions, churches and individuals designated for global and national Southern Baptist ministries. The total is $776,707.46 or 0.55 percent less than the $142,075,153.06 received through June 2013 of last fiscal year. Designated giving of $173,373,521.37 for the same year-to-date period is 1.89 percent, or $3,335,228.70, below the $176,708,750.07 received at this point last year. Designated giving only includes monies received and distributed by the Executive Committee and does not reflect designated gifts contributed directly to SBC entities. Designated contributions include the Lottie Moon … [Read more...]

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Taxpayers could soon be paying for federal employees’ sex reassignment surgeries after the Office of Personnel Management lifted its ban on insurance coverage for the procedures. The June 13 directive surfaced quietly as a letter to insurance providers, citing an “evolving professional consensus” on whether the surgery is “medically necessary.” The bureaucratic change came just two weeks after the Department of Health and Human Services authorized Medicare to cover the same surgeries. For men, they can involve castration and genital reconstruction. For women, they can involve mastectomy and the implantation of a prosthetic. LGBT activists praised the ruling, but some argued that giving providers a choice isn’t good enough. “We think it’s illegal sex discrimination if they exclude care for trans-people that they allow other people to have,” said Mara Keisling, executive director for the National Center for Transgender Equality. Failing to cover the procedures, Keisling and other activists say, would be at odds with executive orders that attempt to rewrite anti-discrimination laws. “Policy makers and the media are doing no favors either to the public or the transgendered by treating their confusions as a … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 07/11/2014 - 11:26 Tom Lambert, pastor of Community Baptist Church in Lafayette, has overcome bouts with cancer and a near-death experience thanks to his wife and God’s grace. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer LAFAYETTE – Tom Lambert is alive but believes he really shouldn’t be. Called the Miracle Man by some, Tom Lambert’s journey has taken him from overseeing a multi-million dollar sales force to overcoming bouts with cancer to surviving a near-death experience. But through it all, Lambert said his faith and congregation of Community Baptist Church where he serves as pastor has helped him navigate each difficult situation, the most recent an incident in December when he believes he caught a literal glimpse of heaven while dying from surgery. “I was dying and the first thing I saw was a dark place, then the most beautiful place I ever saw in my life,” Lambert said. “I didn’t want to come back but God said I’m not through with you yet. It was amazing how things turned around after that.” What followed were months of rehabilitation on a path to recovery. Lambert called relearning how to walk one of the most difficult things he has ever accomplished. “The doctors told me I wasn’t … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Thu, 07/24/2014 - 12:55 Instead of presents for their seventh birthday, twins Chloe and Sidney Burlew asked people to donate money for the Main Street Mission in Pineville. The two gathered more than $640 dollars which they donated to the Mission. By Hannah Boggs, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – Some young children may have trouble understanding the concept of donating money to a worthy cause but not twins Chloe and Sidney Burlew. For their seventh birthday instead of bringing birthday gifts to their party, the twins asked people to bring donations for the Main Street Mission. Because of their unselfish act, the two little girls were able to gather more than $640 dollars and donate it to the mission. “We saw a movie about a little girl who for her birthday asked everybody to bring kids’ shoes instead of toys,” the sisters said when asked where they got the idea to raise money for those who are in need. “So, one day when we went to the Mission to drop off some donations, we came up with the idea. Instead of asking for shoes, we would ask for money.” The girls knew about Main Street Mission from their grandmother, who regularly volunteers there. “There are people without houses, clothes or … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Thu, 07/24/2014 - 12:58 The Main Street Mission in Pineville provides people with essential food items and clothing while also helping to take care of their spiritual needs as well. By Hannah Boggs, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – To find churches who are trying to “be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ” one needs to look no further than the Main Street Mission in Pineville. Located at 312 Main Street in downtown Pineville, the Mission is a homeless shelter and ministry of First Baptist Church Pineville. And it has been meeting the needs of the homeless for more than 20 years. “Main Street is a place that not only takes people in to meet their needs but also to share the gospel,” Mission Director Sam West said. “It is our goal to give these people hope and hopefully lead them to Christ. “It is a place where people from all walks of life can serve and grow together as part of the body of Christ,” he continued. And churches from across Central Louisiana share West’s vision. Fourteen churches partner with the Mission and 50 to 65 people weekly volunteer their time and efforts to cook, serve breakfast and lunch, help with the clothes and work with any of the needs of the clients … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Thu, 07/24/2014 - 13:03 Angola lifer Brandal Albin looks into the face of his daughter, Jocelyn, 8, at the end of the day of Awana Lifeline’s Returning Hearts event at Angola prison on July 14. Around 200 children spent the day with their incarcerated fathers renewing and refreshing their relationships. By Mark H. Hunter, Regional Reporter ANGOLA – Around 200 children got to spend the day with about 100 of their incarcerated fathers during the second Awana Lifeline’s Returning Hearts event held in 2014 on July 14, (the first was in mid-May) and along with finding forgiveness and reconciliation between the children and their fathers, 40 children accepted Jesus as their personal Savior, according to prison Chaplain John Toney. “It’s been a great day – a great success,” Toney said as activities wound down around the Louisiana State Penitentiary’s rodeo arena and the merry-go-round and ferris wheel fell silent. “I never lose the joy of watching the child connecting with their fathers.” Mike Broyles, Awana’s executive director of the Lifeline prison program, said, “The purpose of Returning Hearts Celebration is reconciliation between an incarcerated father and a child for healing and hope and … [Read more...]

By Kelly Boggs, Message Editor There are atheists and liberals, some who are both, who believe there is no need for God in order for morality to be maintained in a society. They argue that people can act morally apart from a supreme authority. I agree that people can act morally apart from God’s standard. However, the real question is why should they? If there is no supreme authority – no God – then why behave morally? If there is no God, there are no objective standards for moral behavior. The logical progression leads to anarchy. Everyone does what is right in his or her eyes. This is clearly seen in the area of sexual expression. If there is no God, then there is no objective, authoritative standard when it comes to sexual expression. The logical result is sexual anarchy. I attended a debate in downtown Portland, Ore., more than a decade ago regarding whether it was appropriate for Oregon public schools to promote homosexuality as natural, normal and healthy. At some point during the discussion someone suggested homosexuality and incest were morally equivalent. When the debate ended, I was confronted by a woman who identified herself as a lesbian. She was furious that we “Bible-thumpers” were ignorant enough to equate … [Read more...]