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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Scholarships give missions workers opportunities; broadens their lives

It’s shortly after noon on a Wednesday afternoon and Rebecca Watts is busy answering the telephone in the Louisiana College student development office. Watts answers each call with a cheerful “hello” to complement her smile. Note: Leading up to the annual Week of Prayer for State Missions and the Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering (September 17-24), the Message will present reports on ongoing missions work across Louisiana. ALEXANDRIA – It’s shortly after noon on a Wednesday afternoon and Rebecca Watts is busy answering the telephone in the Louisiana College student development office. Watts answers each call with a cheerful “hello” to complement her smile. The recent LC grad has reason to be cheerful. In a few days, she will move to Canada for the beginning of a semester-long missions ministry there. Watts credits her education and the Louisiana Baptist Convention Woman’s Missionary Union for making her dream of missions-service possible. “During my past four years at LC, my classes and professors have prepared me for what I’m about to do in Canada,” the 2006 communications arts graduate said. “Receiving financial help from the WMU helped pave the way for my ministry.” Watts … [Read more...]

Anne Lotz event set for Aug. 26

Women across Louisiana and the Gulf Coast region are invited here Saturday, Aug. 26, for Anne Graham Lotz’ Just Give Me Jesus rally. NEW ORLEANS – Women across Louisiana and the Gulf Coast region are invited here Saturday, Aug. 26, for Anne Graham Lotz’ Just Give Me Jesus rally. Doors will open at 8:30 a.m. at the 18,500-seat New Orleans Arena for the event set to start at 10 a.m. The arena is in the downtown business district. “Anne will speak about fear and give a message of hope near the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina,” said Vickie Watson, revival committee chairman. “Revival is needed because so many people are hurting.” Lotz is underwriting the cost of the rally, Watson said. Usually area Christians band together to cover the cost, but knowing the financial impact of Katrina on the city and its churches, she offered to fund it. Contemporary Christian artist Fernando Ortega, soloist Stephanie Seefeldt and intercessor Sheila Bailey are set to join with Lotz in Just Give Me Jesus. “From the time Southern Baptists organized as a denomination, in 1845, the desire has been to reach the city of New Orleans with the gospel,” Watson said. “We believe this is the time to … [Read more...]

Coaching takes leaders to Next Level

One of the buzzwords in the business world has been adapted for the Kingdom of God. ALEXANDRIA – One of the buzzwords in the business world has been adapted for the Kingdom of God. About 100 pastors and leaders from Louisiana churches participated in a recent six-hour coaching conference led by Willie McLaurin of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, a trained NextLevel facilitator for the North American Mission Board, which produced The Coaching Leader materials used during the sessions. “The conference enlightened me to some new ideas about relating to my congregation,” said Mac Brunson, pastor of Springhill Baptist Church in Jonesboro. “To coach instead of tell is more suited to my personality.” Alan Miller, director of the LBC pastoral leadership team that hosted the event in the Baptist Building, said it was a conference well worth the time of any pastor or layperson who wanted to improve their leadership training skills. “Coaching is the hot term,” Miller said. “This is a new strategy; it’s pro-active. This workshop provides new skills to help our ministers become more effective Kingdom leaders. “The workshop uses video clips, Power Point and interaction to address the four … [Read more...]

Louisiana people, places and events

Send in your church newsletter, or the website address of it if you send it out electronically, so news of your church can appear in this new column. Check to make sure your newsletter includes the pastor’s name, church address, telephone, email and website. Calvary Baptist, New Orleans; Keith Manuel, pastor: Church just started a new full-color newsletter called Calvary Times, which was passed out before and after church as a fund-raising project by GAs and RAs, who raised $174 for the Georgia Barnette Offering for State Missions. Newsletter is also available on the church’s website: www.calvaryno.org. Newsletter includes brief profiles of on-mission Christians at the church, Top 10 Volunteer Opportunities, Faith Stories, plus info from four ministry areas in the church: families, small groups, core values and teens. First Baptist, Mansfield; Also has a new publication, or maybe just new sharp full-color look to the Lighthouse. It’s apparently not on the website, but boy does www.firstmansfield.org look sharp! members are already signing up for Christmas in Branson, Mo. First Baptist, Morgan City: David Willoughby, pastor. Sunday School Promotion Day was Aug. 13. Singles and Widows had a … [Read more...]

Christian photogs remember Katrina

“Wake up. The levees have broken!” These were the first words I heard Tuesday morning as fellow photographer Eliot Kamenitz kicked my feet and woke me on the floor of the Times-Picayune library. Editor’s note: When Hurricane Katrina hit, several CIP photographers were dispatched to the disaster. For others, including Jamie Bates and Ted Jackson, the disaster came home. Following are some remembrances from those on the scene. “Wake up. The levees have broken!” These were the first words I heard Tuesday morning as fellow photographer Eliot Kamenitz kicked my feet and woke me on the floor of the Times-Picayune library. “Jesus Christ!” came an anonymous reaction from across the room. “Even Jesus can’t help us now,” came another panicked response. Everybody knew what this meant. The worst-case hurricane scenario was upon us. The city was filling like a bowl and there was no time to waste. — Ted Jackson, New Orleans Times-Picayune One of the greatest natural disasters of modern times was centered in the city I call home. I want to take good pictures and tell the stories of the heroes and survivors, but I also feel a need to get my hands dirty helping. — Jamie Bates, The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss. It seems … [Read more...]

Sunday school teacher celebrates 70 years

WALKER – Seventy years ago, Roy Covington dressed himself in a new black suit for his first day as Sunday school superintendent at Judson Baptist Church. It would mark the beginning of a teaching career that spanned for seven decades at the South Louisiana church. By Brian Blackwell Staff Writer WALKER – Seventy years ago, Roy Covington dressed himself in a new black suit for his first day as Sunday school superintendent at Judson Baptist Church. It would mark the beginning of a teaching career that spanned for seven decades at the South Louisiana church. “I have taught from the cradle to the grave,” said Covington, who recently was honored by the Louisiana Baptist Convention and Judson Baptist. “God called me to teach and it’s been one of my most rewarding things I have done. It doesn’t seem like it’s been 70 years since I first started teaching.” Born on October 2, 1918, in Hall (which is now considered a part of the Walker community), Covington lived on the family’s farm with his parents, three brothers and four sisters. “We had to get up at 4 a.m. to milk the cows before we went to school,” Covington recalled. “When we got home from school each day, we worked in the fields of corn, cotton and … [Read more...]

Weekly announcements

Week of July 10, 2006 Potpourri WALKER – Eastern Louisiana Associational office: Church clerk training; July 25, 7-8 p.m.; emphasis on 2006 Annual Church Profile; for information, call Sherri Palmer at (225) 665-5006; David E. Brown, director of missions. AMITE – First church: Joe Aguillard, guest speaker; July 23, 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.; Terry Booth, pastor. KEITHVILLE – Mansfield Road church: Mercy’s Way in concert; July 23, 6 p.m.; love offering accepted; Glenn Scruggs, pastor. ZWOLLE – Toledo Bend resort:  Open house; July 15, 2-4:30 p.m.; hamburgers/hot dogs served; entertainment and activities provided; call Mary Gore at (318) 645-6601 or (318) 452-9731. Revivals JONESBORO – Ebenezer church:  “Wonderful Wednesdays” revival;  evangelists are as follows: July 12 – Barry Joyner, July 19 – Danny Warbington, July 26 – David Hankins and Aug. 2 – Chuck Kelly; 6 p.m. each Wednesday; Randy Lee, pastor. SWARTZ – First church: “Miracle Mondays” revival; evangelists/musical guests are as follows:  July 17 – Clayton Cloer/Testify, July 24 – Gray Allison/The Goodmans, July 31 – Ted Moody/Reggie Bergeron; Aug. 7 – Fred Luter/combined choirs of Starlight church and Swartz First church and Aug. 14 – Chris … [Read more...]

Fish expresses confidence in NAMB

ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) – “I’m here to be of help. I don’t care what echelon you’re in,” Roy Fish, interim president of the North American Mission Board (NAMB), told 200 NAMB staffers during a recent introductory meeting. By Mickey Noah NAMB Communications ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) – “I’m here to be of help. I don’t care what echelon you’re in,” Roy Fish, interim president of the North American Mission Board (NAMB), told 200 NAMB staffers during a recent introductory meeting. Admitting he was “a little intimidated, humbled, and tremendously challenged” in assuming responsibility as interim president of the agency, Fish received a standing ovation prior to the 25-minute meeting with NAMB employees, his first since being named to the position in early June by the agency’s board of directors. Fish said he felt at home at the mission agency, having attended meetings there – and at the former Home Mission Board – for 40 years. “I’ve always had confidence in what goes on here. And, it has not diminished one bit,” he said. Fish joked that “interim could be part of my name,” referring to the fact that he’s served as an interim pastor at over 50 SBC churches throughout the South and Southwest over the years. … [Read more...]

‘God is building this city’

I’m directing traffic these days. By Joe McKeever BAGNO Director of Missions Editor’s note: The following is excerpted from Dr. McKeever’s blog. For more up-close-and-personal news of  New Orleans, see www.joemckeever.com. It’s updated sometimes daily. I’m directing traffic these days. “Can you tell me how to arrange for housing for our group that will be coming to work in New Orleans?” I put them in touch with Operation NOAH Rebuild, which is about to open space for 500 people nightly at the World Trade Center in downtown New Orleans. No more sleeping on the hard floors of fellowship halls, or worse, in tents on an Algiers playground. “We have some money to help a church have a vacation Bible school.” I directed the caller to Jennifer Smith, our VBS director and wife of the pastor of Highland Baptist Church in Metairie. If anyone knows a church needing that assistance, she will. A check arrived in the mail yesterday, about 600 dollars. The note said, “To help some damaged church.” We deposited the check and wrote another just like it to Port Sulphur Baptist Church where Pastor Rodrigue is working out of a tent, giving groceries to 500 families a day, and trying to rebuild a ministry in … [Read more...]