Week of January 31 LC prayerwalk Louisiana College President Joe Aguillard has scheduled a first-ever campus prayerwalk for Feb. 19. The event is set to begin on the Pineville campus at 11 a.m. “We are calling on Louisiana Baptists and all other interested LC family members, regardless of denomination, to join us in praying over our campus as we anoint it to God’s service,” Aguillard said. “God promised us in 2 Chronicles 20 when we declare ‘Our eyes are upon thee’ his reply is ‘Be not afraid, the battle is not your but God’s. Stand ye still and see the salvation of the Lord.’ ... God’s promises are real and true, and he will bless our obedience. This call to prayer is a total acknowledgment that God is in charge of Louisiana College and our allegiance to him will bring his blessings upon us. I encourage every church in our state to send their youth and adults to come and pray on and for our college campus.” For details, call (318) 487-7137 or visit www.lacollege.edu. Marriage amendment A constitutional marriage amendment to the U.S. Constitution was re-introduced in the Senate late last month with support from 22 senators. The amendment would define marriage as only between a man and a woman, thus … [Read more...]

In the January 13, 2005, edition of the Baptist Message, the article “Ecumenical group” on the “World of Religion” page (Page Two) stated a well-recognized fact ... In the January 13, 2005, edition of the Baptist Message, the article “Ecumenical group” on the “World of Religion” page (Page Two) stated a well-recognized fact in regard to the Southern Baptist refusal to join an ecumenical group organized under the name “Christian Churches Together.” Martin King of the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board was correct in saying that such an alignment by Southern Baptists would cause it “top give up some doctrinal beliefs.” A more fundamental reason as to why Southern Baptists cannot join an ecumenical group is that the convention is not a church as other denominations view themselves. Since Baptist churches are autonomous, the convention cannot speak for them as one voice. The churches in their annual convention could agree to such an involvement. In addition to the issue of the autonomy of the local church is the basic biblical truth that our strength is not found in numbers but in the God we serve (2 Chron. 7:14). The church has a spiritual ministry that changes history by changing the hearts … [Read more...]

Inmate Sidney DeLoach said he forever will be thankful for prison. – if he had not entered the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola 26 years ago, DeLoach said he thinks he would be dead. Inmate Sidney DeLoach said he forever will be thankful for prison. – if he had not entered the Louisiana State Penitentiary at    Angola 26 years ago, DeLoach said he thinks he would be dead. “Prison was good for me,” insisted DeLoach, pastor of St. John Institutional Brotherhood at Angola. “Prison caused me to find myself. It caused me to see myself. It caused me to know myself. God used prison to change me.” DeLoach offered his story during a time of testimony at the 2005 Louisiana Baptist Evangelism Conference last week. He was one of four testimonies at the conference, which also featured a range of speakers and small-group sessions related to evangelism. (See accompanying articles and coverage on Pages Five, Six and Seven) Raised in a Baptist church, DeLoach said he accepted Christ as his personal savior and Lord at a young age. However, he also said he despised preachers because he saw some of them living an immoral life. Once the Army drafted DeLoach to serve in Vietnam, he said his life changed forever. “I … [Read more...]

A trio of Louisiana Baptists offered witness last week of one thing they know for sure – that God still is in the business of changing lives. A trio of Louisiana Baptists offered witness last week of one thing they know for sure – that God still is in the business of changing lives. During times of personal testimonies at last week’s Louisiana Baptist Evangelism Conference at First Baptist Church of Bossier City, the trio recounted how God had touched – and transformed – their lives. The stories were varied. During his presentation, Bobby Bates from Bethlehem Baptist Church in Winnfield told how God called him out of a life of drinking, drugs, fighting and partying to preach the gospel. “Jesus still saves – you can look right here,” he said. Bates acknowledged his road to faith was not easy. “I’ve been shot at, cut at, beat down,” he said. “I lived life on the edge. ... If I had fell not knowing Jesus, I’d gone straight to hell. ... “The devil pulled on me and pulled on me and pulled on me,” Bates emphasized. However, on January 11, 2004, after years of skirting around the edge of faith, Bates said he surrendered his life to Christ and found release from his previous lifestyle. Six months … [Read more...]

Southern Baptists celebrated good news on the North American missions front last week with the announcement of a record annual offering. Southern Baptists celebrated good news on the North American missions front last week with the announcement of a record annual offering. Final receipts show that Southern Baptists gave a record $53.8 through the 2004 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering for North American Missions. The gifts were fueled by strong showing in a number of states, including Louisiana, where final receipts for 2004 totaled a record of more than $1.6 million. Overall, the Southern Baptist total exceeded the previous year’s offering by almost $4.2 million (8.5 percent). It fell shy of the national offering goal of $54 million by  just $154,011 (0.003 percent). Southern Baptist North American Mission Board President Robert Reccord described Southern Baptists’ sacrificial generosity in 2004 as a significant breakthrough in North American missions giving. “Southern Baptists have proven themselves faithful to the cause of missions and reaching North America for Christ,” Reccord said.         “Never before has funding been more critical to the mission of ensuring that every person in the United … [Read more...]

What began with a frog in a kettle has evolved into a series of face-to-face dialogues throughout the country that began last month in Louisiana. What began with a frog in a kettle has evolved into a series of face-to-face dialogues throughout the country that began last month in Louisiana. LifeWay Christian Resources President James Draper Jr. visited First Baptist Church of Bossier City to show his support for and discuss the concerns of younger leaders throughout Louisiana. They gathered to brainstorm solutions to issues raised on LifeWay’s younger leaders online message board (www.lifeway.com/youngerleaders). “I know the problems and you do, too,” Draper told the more than 60 men and women gathered in the First Baptist Church choir room. “But what are we going to do about it?” With his “Is the Southern Baptist Convention a Frog in the Kettle?” column last June, Draper opened the doors of communication with Southern Baptist leaders under age 45 by voicing his concerns about the “lack of denominational involvement and loyalty ... among younger ministers.” When responses to that and subsequent columns flooded into his e-mail inbox, Draper began inviting people to post their concerns, observations and … [Read more...]

There was no mistaking the emphasis of the 2005 Louisiana Baptist Evangelism Conference – reaching the lost with the gospel. There was no mistaking the emphasis of the 2005 Louisiana Baptist Evangelism Conference – reaching the lost with the gospel. Speaker after speaker stressed the point – Christians must renew their focus and determination to take up the gospel task. In addition, they must understand the need to do things differently if they hope to reach the lost. Hundreds of persons from through the state attended the annual gathering, held at First Baptist Church of Bossier City. It focused on the theme “It’s Time to Harvest” as part of the Louisiana Baptist Convention emphasis on sharing the gospel throughout the state during 2005. The following articles offer summary accounts of major addresses during the two-day conference. ‘Something has to change’ If Baptists want to reach the lost for Christ, they better take a couple of lessons from the Apostle Paul and make some changes, Alvin Reid emphasized. “It’s obvious we don’t have a burden for lost people because we’re not reaching many, ...” said Reid, professor of evangelism at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. “Some of us need … [Read more...]