By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer RUSTON – Sensing a prompting of the Holy Spirit during the final session of the Louisiana Baptist Evangelism Conference, church planter Vance Pitman issue an altar call to anyone willing to pray for and share Christ with every home in the state. In the end, dozens of people came forward inside the Temple Baptist Church worship center to accept a massive challenge called the Harvest Initiative that Pitman said appears to seem an impossible task. But as he told pastors and others during his message Tuesday evening, Jan. 24, the same God who moved in the early church more than 2,000 years ago is the same God who is on the move today. “It’s a massive goal - every home, every person,” Pitman said. “I can’t imagine a church not wanting to be a part of that.” Throughout the next two years, 700 Louisiana Baptist churches will be challenged to “pray for every home and share Christ with every person” in the state. After spending 2016 to plan and enlist leaders and churches and using 2017 to conduct statewide evangelism training and pilot different methods, Louisiana Baptists will join together across the state in 2018 in prayer events and intentional soul-winning activities. The … [Read more...]

By Message Staff RUSTON – History was made during the opening session of the 2017 Evangelism Conference Monday evening, Jan. 23. Standing before a packed worship center at Temple Baptist Church, Ed Newton presented the Gospel to hundreds of youth and adults, as well as many other youngsters watching his message via a livestream broadcast in the first-ever student night. In the end, around 50 made a decision at Temple Baptist Church alone, including 12 first-time decisions. Numbers from additional sites broadcasting Newton's message were not known immediately. “Heaven is real,” said Newton, pastor of Community Bible Church in San Antonio, Texas. “Life is short. Jesus is good. And He desires to save you right where you’re at.” Newton emphasized that each person is one step away from spending eternity in either heaven or hell. Without believing in Christ, Newton said, their future in heaven is hopeless. “Right where you’re at, Jesus could step out of heaven and step into your heart,” he said. “We’re all one step away from eternity. What will you do with Jesus?” In addition to Newton’s message, student night also featured drama and a “trash can” band from Philadelphia Baptist Church in Deville, a combined choir … [Read more...]