Despite losing her granddaughter shortly after the child's first birthday and almost losing her son in the same tragic accident, Melody J. James, wife of Ernest C. James, pastor of Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church here, stood strong in her faith, never giving up as her son lingered in a coma for a month. Editor’s note: Second in a series of notable pastors’ wives across Louisiana. Pastors and vocational ministers, if you think your wife is notable, call the     Message at 318-442-7728. SHREVEPORT – Despite losing her granddaughter shortly after the child’s first birthday and almost losing her son in a tragic accident, Melody J. James, wife of Ernest C. James, pastor of Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church here, stood strong in her faith, never giving up as her son lingered in a coma for a month. In July 1991, three children and three adults slept as carbon monoxide filled their house. All three children lost their lives. The three adults, including Patrick James, survived, despite his grim prognosis. “The doctors told her to prepare for her son’s funeral,” Pastor James said.  “But her strong faith allowed her to put her fear for her son and grief for her granddaughters aside in order to minister … [Read more...]

Publicaton of this notice is required twice, one month before the start of the annual meeting of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. It was first printed in the Oct. 5 issue. PARISH OF CALCASIEU STATE OF LOUISIANA BE IT KNOWN, that on _____Day of November, 2006, before me, the undersigned Notary Public in and for the Parish and State aforesaid, personally came and appeared the undersigned parties of full age of majority whose signatures are subscribed who declare, in the presence of the undersigned competent witnesses that, availing themselves of the provisions of the Louisiana Nonprofit Corporation law, Louisiana Revised Statutes12:201-12:269 (1950 as amended), and upon the instructions of the messengers to the 2006 Louisiana Baptist Convention, they do hereby organize a nonprofit corporation under and in accordance with these articles of incorporation as follows: ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION of the LOUISIANA BAPTIST CONVENTION ARTICLE I. NAME The name of this body is the Louisiana Baptist Convention, hereinafter referred to as “Convention”. ARTICLE II. DURATION The duration of this Convention shall be in perpetuity. ARTICLE III. NON-PROFIT … [Read more...]

Suggested resolution by the executive board of the Louisiana Baptist Conventin for the incorporation of the convention. SUGGESTED RESOLUTION BY THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE LOUISIANA BAPTIST CONVENTION FOR THE INCORPORATION OF THE CONVENTION WHEREAS, Louisiana law concerning the governance of organizations has changed and evolved over the last 100 years in favor of incorporation; and, WHEREAS, the Louisiana Baptist Convention is an unincorporated association which form of governance is vulnerable to a lack of clear statutory law and jurisprudence as to its method of organization, powers and resolution of issues which it may from time to time face; and, WHEREAS, the Louisiana Baptist Convention can be incorporated in a manner consistent with Baptist Polity and without changing the manner in which it has traditionally operated: BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Executive Board of the Louisiana Baptist Convention does hereby recommend that the Messengers to the Louisiana Baptist Convention adopt the following resolution: “BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Louisiana Baptist Convention hereby directs and authorizes the officers of the Louisiana Baptist Convention in office at the November 2006 convention … [Read more...]

Potpourri LEESVILLE – East Leesville church:  Greater Vision in concert; Oct. 27, 7 p.m. with the Gospel Lights and Certain Sound Singers to perform at 6 p.m.; $12.50 per ticket; for ticket information, call Bill Tilley at 337-239-3742 or 337-789-8734; Gil Arthur, pastor. DENHAM SPRINGS – He-bron church:  “Women of Vision – Vessels of Service” women’s conference; Oct. 21, 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.; Mary Varnado, guest speaker; $10 per ticket; lunch will be served; for information, call 225-665-6278 or 225-664-9989; Joe Alain, pastor. MARKSVILLE – Marksville church:  Ladies luncheon; Oct. 14, 12 noon; Jamie Womack, guest speaker; Stacey Tilley, music; Karen Fuqua, women’s director; Dennis Hackler, pastor. KEITHVILLE – Mansfield church:  Rhyme & Reason in concert; Oct. 22, 6 p.m.; Glenn Scruggs, pastor. MINDEN – Harris Assembly camp:  January Bible Study Conference; Oct. 26, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.; William Steeger, conference leader; to register, call Concord Union associational office at 318-255-9030 or 318-255-5241; Mike Latham, camp manager. DRY CREEK – Dry Creek camp:  Church Staff Couples’ Retreat; Oct. 27, 6 p.m. – Oct. 28, after lunch; Marvin and Karen Douglass, retreat leaders; $60 … [Read more...]

Following are two proposed amendments to the Articles of Incorporation of Louisiana College, as passed in late September at their regularly-scheduled meeting by the college's board of trustees. Following are two proposed amendments to the Articles of Incorporation of Louisiana College, as passed in late September at their regularly-scheduled meeting by the college’s board of trustees. First: Amend the Articles of incorporation of Louisiana College by striking out the entirety of the current Article V (Liquidation), which reads ARTICLE V: LIQUIDATION The corporation is formed exclusively for educational and religious purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. No part of the net earnings of the corporation shall inure to the benefit of or be distributable to the trustees, officers, or other private persons, except that the corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments or distributions in furtherance of its educational and religious purposes. The assets of the corporation shall be dedicated to the educational and religious purposes of the corporation. Upon dissolution of the corporation, the … [Read more...]

It has a worldwide impact, stretching from Southern Baptist churches in all 50 states to mission fields across the globe, connecting church members with missionaries in fulfilling the Great Commission. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – It has a worldwide impact, stretching from Southern Baptist churches in all 50 states to mission fields across the globe, connecting church members with missionaries in fulfilling the Great Commission. The Cooperative Program surpassed $200 million in gifts for national causes for the first time in the Southern Baptist Convention’s history during the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, according to an Oct. 3 announcement by Morris H. Chapman, president of the SBC Executive Committee. And in the Gulf Coast states struck by Hurricane Katrina, Southern Baptists showed resiliency and resolve in maintaining support for Cooperative Program causes. Chapman described the $200-million record as “a remarkable reminder that so many are giving faithfully, Sunday after Sunday, through the Cooperative Program. These multiple-upon-multiple sacrificial contributions make it possible to achieve so much more together in cooperative missions, ministries and theology than we could … [Read more...]

FERRIDAY—“God will provide!” When Pastor Wayne Gray speaks those words, many listen and learn to trust God. Gray’s faith was born out of his own crisis of belief in 1999, he said. “Genesis 22:14 became my life verse:  ‘And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.”’” Gray spoke those words to a young father who had lost everything after Hurricane Katrina.  The man, who had no money (even his bank was destroyed), arrived at the Delta storefront mission desperately searching for baby formula for his daughter who had a serious heart condition and needed a certain kind. The father, whom Gray could tell was used to providing well for his family, was forced to ask others for help, and, much worse, was still falling short of what his loved ones needed. “God is really good at providing things,” Gray told the man who, at Gray’s request, wrote down the name of the formula. Sticking the slip of paper in his pocket, Gray prayed with the man and assured him that God would take care of him and his daughter. The next day, Gray went to Istrouma Baptist Church in an 18-wheeler for supplies to help provide for the many evacuees in his town. After loading up, Gray … [Read more...]

Pleaseant View Baptist Church, a small country church if ever there was one, had an attendance of 50 on a good Sunday, was looking for a pastor, and was housing 30 Katrina evacuees when God sent them 208 more evacuees to house as a result of Hurricane Rita. PLEASANT VIEW – Pleasant View Baptist Church, a small country church if ever there was one, had an attendance of 50 on a good Sunday, was looking for a pastor, and was housing 30 Katrina evacuees when God sent them 208 more evacuees to house as a result of Hurricane Rita. “There was no way you could have gotten that many people together in one accord unless God was in it,” said Delores Hopkins, the woman who brought the first 15 Katrina evacuees to Pleasant View after rescuing them off the side of the road. On her way home from work right after Katrina, Hopkins passed some cars that seemed stranded on the side of the road. Initially she kept going, but having just spent the day watching fights erupt and people steal gas at the convenience store where she worked, and knowing that none of the surrounding motels and hotels had any room, she prayed for the Lord to use her. She felt compelled to stop a couple of miles down the road, turn her … [Read more...]

Five missionaries trained by New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary were trapped at Rayburn Correctional Center, then named Washington Correctional Institute, during Katrina. ANGIE – Five missionaries trained by New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary were trapped at Rayburn Correctional Center, then named Washington Correctional Institute, during Katrina. The storm, whose eye passed within ten miles of the prison, brought un-precedented opportunities for these men to share their faith. All five are incarcerated for life. They received their theological education while at Angola and relocated to RCC as part of the “Farm’s” missionary inmate chaplain program. They work with Wayne Cook, chaplain at RCC and senior pastor at Pine First Baptist Church, and multiply his ministry at the prison exponentially, the pastor said. These men recognize that God can bring good from the worst this world has to offer, Cook said, and the inmate missionaries agree. “God uses prison to transform lives. I don’t know if I would have ended up in the ministry if I hadn’t been in a place where He could get my undivided attention,” Inmate Chaplain John Sheehan said. When Katrina blew through, the … [Read more...]

"It's so fresh I can't deal with the possibility of going through it again. I can't even bear to watch the hurricane forecast on the news yet." BATON ROUGE – “It’s so fresh I can’t deal with the possibility of going through it again. I can’t even bear to watch the hurricane forecast on the news yet.” Robin Cook’s words echo with memories of being on the front lines of ministry last fall. She worked at the front desk of a makeshift emergency shelter at Istrouma Baptist Church for the entire nine weeks Istrouma opened its doors to people streaming from New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. “Here in Louisiana we’ve had the weather version of the atomic bomb go off,” said Pat Hand, mission pastor of Istrouma, where 1,600 people attend Sunday morning worship; Stuart Rothberg recently resigned as senior pastor. “It has been a profound privilege for our church to be the hands and heart and feet of the Lord Jesus, to help needy families.” Istrouma became the third largest shelter in the state in the aftermath of Katrina, housing more than 1,500 evacuees in all, and as many as 700 at any one time, with a total over the nine weeks of its existence of 150 volunteers and more than $430,000 in … [Read more...]