By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer SUNSET – Lee Ray Darbonne  walked into his office during the first week as pastor of First Baptist Church, Sunset when he noticed piles of informational cards filled out by those who had visited there, some of whom had not been reached out to in years. Darbonne viewed the situation not as a discouragement but as a golden opportunity for the congregation to grow from its regular attendance of basically one family. Not long afterwards, Darbonne spent an entire day in early July calling those whose names were listed on the cards, as well as some former members who had not returned to the church in a while. Darbonne estimates the number of calls was around 70. Two and a half months later, Darbonne has seen fruit, with around 40 in attendance. That number includes seven who joined one Sunday, giving their lives to the Lord, including two mothers and their daughters – a day that still gives the bi-vocational pastor chills. “Out of the 26 who were there on that Sunday, seven joined one-by-one,” said Darbonne, who also works as Regional Director for FEED Ministries, (“Faith Employees Employment Data”) in his secular job. “People are getting excited and that excitement hasn’t … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 12/20/2013 - 11:44 Members of the State Champion Northeast Baptist Knights are (from left) T. J. Roberts, Micah Landry, Jared Trichel, Noah Landry, Logan Bass, Dustin Whitehead, Noah Navarro, Cooper Randol, Jacob Lowrey, Parker Wold, Zach Smith, Garrett Harrison, Trusten Sinkey, Chris Moody, Drew Wallace, and Angelo Battaglia. Coach Tyler Albritton was the coach. By Philip Timothy, Managing Editor WEST MONROE – Losing one’s star quarterback at any time in the season can be problematic. Losing one in a semifinal win can be demoralizing. When All-State quarterback Noah Navarro broke his tibia in two places on the first drive of the game, Northeast Baptist School in West Monroe not only lost a proven field general but the team’s top offensive playmaker. Before going down, the junior had combined for 2,709 yards in total offense – 945 yards rushing and 1,764 yards passing, 298 points, and had the Knights in the semifinals of the 8-man Association of Christian Educators of Louisiana football conference playoffs. “Losing Noah was tough,” Northeast Coach Tyler Albritton, a ULM graduate, said. “He was not only a big part of our offense, but he was a big part of our team. I really felt bad for … [Read more...]

  NEW ORLEANS – Eleven Louisiana Baptists were part of history on Dec. 14. The master’s and doctoral level students were awarded degrees as part of the largest graduating class in the history of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. During historic commencement ceremonies on the campus of the 96-year-old school, 254 students received degrees. In addition to associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees, the seminary awarded first-time graduate certificates in women’s ministry, bi-vocational ministry, church leadership, Greek studies and pastoral ministry. Three students also were the first to receive a master’s of theological studies degree. NOBTS President Chuck Kelley spoke to students about the importance of learning beyond the classroom and how they can carry the message of hope to a lost world, according to a news release from the school. Master of Arts in Christian Ministry Gerolyn McCurdy, Shreveport Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Counseling Katherine Swetledge Arnold, Walker Master of Divinity Josh Jordan, Covington Master of Divinity  with Specialization in Christian Education Ty Wells, Hammond Master of Theology Phil Weaver, Hammond Doctor of Ministry Tom Carlton, Keithville; Jeffrey L. Ingram, … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 12/20/2013 - 11:49 Steve Horn, recently elected president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention and pastor at First Baptist Lafayette, delivered the commencement speech at Louisiana College’s 155th commencement. PINEVILLE – Steve Horn, recently elected Louisiana Baptist Convention President and Pastor of First Baptist Lafayette, delivered the commencement address and 108 students received degrees at Louisiana College’s 2013 fall commencement on Dec. 14. The commencement ceremony which took place in Guinn Auditorium on the campus was the 155th at Louisiana College. The mission of LC is to provide liberal arts, professional, and graduate programs characterized by devotion to the preeminence of the Lord Jesus, allegiance to the authority of the Holy Scriptures, dedication to academic excellence for the glory of God, and commitment to change the world for Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Among the degrees bestowed on graduates from five states and two foreign countries included 26 bachelors of arts, 12 bachelors of science, 21 bachelor of science in nursing, four masters and two associates in pastoral ministry and 49 masters of arts in teaching. Louisiana College President Joe Aguillard … [Read more...]

Just a few days before Christmas, eight Louisiana Baptists received an early gift – a degree from either Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary or Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Five from Louisiana were among the 167 who graduated from SWBTS, while three from the state were part of a graduating class of more than 150 from SEBTS. Both commencement ceremonies occurred on Dec. 13. At SWBTS, 136 students received a master’s degree, 17 earned a doctoral degree and another 16 were awarded undergraduate degrees. Louisianans earning a Master of Divinity were Patrick Coker of Calhoun, Jason Kees of Anacoco, Louis Rosenthal of Alexandria and Logan T. Williams of Baton Rouge. Receiving a PhD was Gregory E. Trickett of Shreveport. SWBTS President Paige Patterson delivered the commencement message before awarding degrees from the School of Theology, School of Church and Family Ministries, School of Church Music, School of Evangelism and Missions, the College at Southwestern and the J. Dalton Havard School for Theological Studies. Meanwhile, at SEBTS, 130 students received their master’s or doctoral degrees, and 25 students graduated with associate or bachelor’s degrees. Among those were Oakdale’s Anna Ruth McGee received a … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 12/20/2013 - 12:02 Naghmeh Abedini, testifying before a congressional subcommittee Dec. 12, tells of her family’s anguish since her husband, U.S. pastor Saeed Abedini, was imprisoned in Iran in June 2012. By Benjamin Hawkins, Baptist Press WASHINGTON (BP) –Less than two weeks before Christmas, Naghmeh Abedini testified before Congress on behalf of her husband, U.S. citizen and pastor Saeed Abedini, who has been imprisoned in Iran since last June because of his Christian faith. “My husband is suffering because he is a Christian,” Abedini said when she addressed a subcommittee hearing of the House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee on Dec. 12). “He is suffering because he is an American. Yet, his own government ... has abandoned him. Don’t we owe it to him as a nation to stand up for his human rights, for his freedom? “Not all Americans are Christians, but every American – regardless of their belief – needs to be reassured and know that our government will take decisive action to protect us if our fundamental rights are violated,” Abedini added. Although this was Naghmeh Abedini’s first time officially to testify before a panel of the House of Representatives, she already has … [Read more...]

ON THE MOVE Earnest (wife Sandra) Little new as pastor Crossroads Baptist Church, Marthaville. Mel Campbell is new as pastor at Frierson Baptist Church from Memorial Baptist Chapel, Elm Grove. Matt Robertson is new as youth minister at Culbertson Baptist Church. Hardy Yeatts is new as associate pastor from retirement at Bethany Baptist Church, Bethany. Lucas (wife Ashley) LaCour new as pastor at Alpine Baptist Church Cliff Ford, youth minister at Oil City First Baptist, receives ministry license. Wayne Dubose is new as interim pastor at Vivian Baptist Church. Jim Lancaster is new as pastor at Beech Springs Baptist Church, Quitman. Tony Dick has resigned as pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Oak Grove and Bobby Bates is the new interim.   REVIVAL/HOMECOMING   Washington Baptist Church, Washington: Revival, Jan. 10-12, 6 p.m. on Jan. 10-11 and 11 am. on Jan. 12. Evangelist: Lyndon Longoria. Worship: Mackey Willis Family. Concord Union Baptist Association Evangelism Rally, Jan. 26, 6 p.m. Crestview Baptist Church, Farmerville. Message: Argile Smith. Concord Union Baptist Association Evangelism Rally, Feb. 9, 6 p.m. First Baptist Church, Ruston. Message: David Hankins.   LAGNIAPPE   Jeff … [Read more...]

NASHVILLE (BP) – Year-to-date contributions to Southern Baptist national and international missions and ministries received by the SBC Executive Committee are $30,050,253.40 or 94.15 percent of the year-to-date SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget goal, and are 1.75 percent below contributions received during the same time frame last year. The year-to-date total represents money received by the Executive Committee by the close of the last business day of November and includes receipts from state conventions, churches and individuals for distribution, according to the 2013-14 SBC Cooperative Program Allocation Budget. The $30,050,253.40 received by the Executive Committee from the start of the fiscal year, Oct. 1, through Nov. 30 for distribution through the Cooperative Program Allocation Budget represents 94.15 percent of the $31,916,666.67 year-to-date budgeted amount to support Southern Baptist ministries globally and across North America. The total is $535,768.28, or 1.75 percent less than the $30,586,021.68 received through the end of November 2013. Designated giving of $36,957,899.34 for the same year-to-date period is 1.05 percent, or $393,455.27, below the $37,351,354.61 received at this point last year. This total … [Read more...]

By Staff, World News Magazine Tianjin, China – Chinese researchers have thrown their weight into an already contentious debate over abortion and breast cancer. In China, where breast cancer has increased sharply in recent years, a new review found that women who had an induced abortion were 44 percent more likely to develop breast cancer than those who didn’t. Cancer Causes & Control published the review – a meta-analysis of 36 Chinese studies of abortion and breast cancer – online late last month. Yet most mainstream media have ignored the review, unwilling to explore a link many pro-abortion researchers have dismissed. In doing so, America’s media may be ignoring an important body of evidence in abortion and breast cancer (sometimes called ABC) research. “From a methodological standpoint, this looks like a very good piece of work, and it leaves me with the conclusion that there is an association between induced abortion and breast cancer,” Gene Rudd, the senior vice president of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations, said in commenting on the study. Rudd has been skeptical of some previous studies that either have or haven’t shown a cancer link to abortion. The ideological views of authors can bias their … [Read more...]