By Staff, Baptist Message BATON ROUGE -- The Baptist Message has lost one of its long-time freelance writers. Mark Hunter, who has written for the Baptist Message since January 2011, died earlier today while worshipping at Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, where he was a member. The church's Facebook page reported that Hunter suffered a cardiopulmonary event. Medical personnel in the worship service came to the aid of Hunter and emergency personnel were immediately called to the church. Jeff Ginn, pastor of Istrouma Baptist Church, said an email that Hunter lived a life that honored Christ. Ginn said in addition to his love for serving Christ through writing faith-based articles appearing in the Baptist Message and Baton Rouge Advocate, Hunter was passionate about men's ministry at Istrouma and throughout Baton Rouge. "Mark died as he lived," Ginn said. "One moment he was singing a song of praise by faith in our Sunday worship service, the next moment he worshipped by sight in heaven. I remember the last words he shared with me. The day before he died he had written an article about a mission effort of our church. I shot him a "thank you" email for the compelling job he did in penning that story. His reply? "To God be … [Read more...]
Reviving a Dying Church
By Randy Adams, Executive Director of Northwest Baptist Convention Thirty years ago this April I began my first pastorate. It was a dying church – dead really. Today we would call it a “legacy church plant.” There were ten people who attended our first Sunday, all but one retired, with the one being a teenage boy. I’m not sure why the boy was there, except that he lived on the other side of the cemetery. The cemetery, church, and a small school building, long since closed, bordered each other. The Thurmond family gave the property for these three entities in the 1890s, each deemed important for a community in those days. My wife and I served that church for 3 ½ formative years, formative for us and for that church and community. I soon learned that the former pastor recommended that the church disband and give the building to the local Baptist association. He had reasoned this was their best option since they hadn’t baptized anyone in four years, only had a Sunday morning worship service with few attenders, and little prospect of seeing things turn around. The few attenders, most of whom had lived there all their lives, considered his suggestion, but decided to give it “one more try,” which meant giving one more seminary … [Read more...]
‘Special’ call leads to ‘special’ baptism
By Marilyn Stewart, Regional Reporter NEW ORLEANS – The phone call Alexis Leslie received from Calvary Baptist School in New Orleans last year began with words every parent loves to hear. “I have awesome news,” Leslie said the principal told her. But when Leslie heard her 11-year-old son Liam had made a commitment to follow Christ, she was not sure she understood. “I’ll be honest with you, I don’t know a whole lot about the Baptist religion. I’m Catholic,” Leslie said. “I really wasn’t quite sure what ‘saved’ meant.” The unusual phone call was followed by an unusual baptism when Liam Leslie, a fifth-grader, was baptized Oct. 28 in front of the entire student body, K-8th grade. The school is a ministry of Calvary Baptist Church in New Orleans, and when a Sunday morning baptism could not be worked out, the church approved the baptism during school hours, a first for the school. “We couldn’t seem to find a perfect fit for a Sunday baptism date with the family,” said Laekan Carter, the school’s children’s coordinator and a chapel teacher. “Liam asked me weekly, for months, when he could be baptized.” Liam’s commitment to Christ had come months earlier after Carter had shared during a school chapel program what it meant “to have … [Read more...]
Ex-Soviet satellite ripe for harvest
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer Louisiana Baptists have a golden opportunity – bring the Gospel to a former Soviet founding republic whose population is just 1 percent evangelical. Although Belarus has few believers among the population of 9.6 million, it does not mean the people are closed to the message of Jesus Christ, those behind this Gospel movement contend. Jeff Ingram, senior adult strategist for Louisiana Baptists, has participated in previous mission trips to Belarus and plans on going again in May. He said once a person travels to the country, the people find a place in your heart. “After going twice, I see a real open field for the Gospel,” said Jeff Ingram, adult ministry strategist for Louisiana Baptists. “People have lived without hope for so long that they are desperate for Christ. “Belarus’ people and pastors feel like they have been forgotten by the rest of the world,” he continued. “Just our presence is a huge encouragement for the pastors and church members. The government and the people are more open to the Gospel than they have been in 100 years.” Since 2015, Louisiana Baptist churches have participated in mission teams in the country, in partnership with Byelorussian Mission. By 2018, plans … [Read more...]
Haiti mission center one step closer to being reality
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – The vision to build an orphanage and church planting center in Haiti is closer to becoming reality, after a deal was finalized to purchase land for the proposed campus. “I am exhilarated that we have reached this stage,” said Wayne Sheppard, executive assistant to the executive director, and partnership missions strategist for Louisiana Baptists. “This process has been long, but it is all according to His timing. The Lord has directed each step, and we have watched Him grant a secure footing with amazing opportunity. Louisiana Baptists are focused on raising up Daniels and Esthers in Haiti and on planting churches to help win thousands to Jesus Christ.” Sheppard traveled to the country in early March to sign papers for the 3.1 acres of land. The next step is building a deep-water well and a wall that will surround the property – projects Sheppard expects to be completed sometime in the spring. “The well will not only provide water for the children at the facility but also will allow others from the community to get water too,” Sheppard said. “In Haiti, having good, healthy drinking water is a premium. Providing pure healthy water will allow the opportunity for many to … [Read more...]
Elite anglers will share fishing stories, Jesus May 7
By Staff, Baptist Message MANY – Their names are synonymous with bass fishing. Randy Howell, Brent Chapman, Alton Jones and Cliff Crochet are among the sport’s elite and they will be at Siloam Baptist Church in Many May 7 at 6:30 p.m. for a ‘Meet the Elite’ event. Not only will these professional bass anglers, along with several others, speak about their craft but they will also share about their faith. “‘Meet the Elite’ is a great event,” said Mary Gore of Toledo Bend Ministry Resort. “It is an opportunity to reach men and boys who will go fishing but may not go to church. Besides these anglers sharing fishing tips, telling some great stories, the good news of the Gospel of Christ is shared with those in attendance. “This is the third time we have had the BASS Elite series tournament here and the two previous times saw a number of men and boys make professions of faith and accept Christ as their Lord and Savior," said Gore. While Jones, a Texas legend with a Classic title in 2008, Chapman, who is currently leading the standings for Toyota Angler of the Year, and Crochet, a Louisiana native from Pierre Part, are all confirmed for the event, Gore said reigning Bass Master Classic Champion Edwin Evers and possibly 2014 Classic … [Read more...]
11th annual Toledo Bend Children’s Fishing Derby April 30
ZWOLLE – What’s more enjoyable than spending a spring day fishing with a child on one of the finest fishing lakes in the country --Toledo Bend? Absolutely nothing, especially when it’s the 11th annual Toledo Bend Children’s Fishing Derby hosted by Toledo Bend Baptist Resort Ministry. Kids, ages 3-15, and parents are urged to come out join the fun April 30 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at San Miguel Park beach area. It will be a day of fishing, sun and family-fun. And, best of all, it’s free. A complimentary lunch will be served. For information on this fun-filled day, call Mary L. Gore at 318.452.9731 or the resort ministry at 318.645.6601. … [Read more...]
Aguillard has President Emeritus title removed by LC Board, no longer a member of LC faculty
By Louisiana College News Services PINEVILLE -- The Louisiana College Board of Trustees acted April 12 to remove the title of President Emeritus from Joe Aguillard, who served as president of the college from 2005 until 2014. Aguillard had previously been removed from his tenured faculty position on the recommendation of the Faculty Affairs Advisory Committee following a hearing at which violations of the LC Faculty Handbook and charges were considered. The dismissal was upheld by the Executive Committee of the college’s Board of Trustees following a lengthy appeal hearing. The matters that led to Aguillard’s dismissal from the LC faculty were of paramount consideration in the determination by the Board of Trustees to remove the honorary title of president emeritus which had been given at the time of Aguillard’s replacement as president in 2014. Randy Harper, Chairman of the Louisiana College Board of Trustees, speaking for the Board and the current administration, said all LC stakeholders should be assured school policy and procedures were meticulously followed throughout the dismissal and appeal proceedings. Louisiana College officials are not expected to have further comment on the matter. … [Read more...]
COOPERATIVE PROGRAM: Comprehensive, enduring, accountable
By John Yeats, Executive Director of the Missouri Baptist Convention JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (BP) -- This happens more often than you think: Members of a Sunday School class decide to circumvent their offerings that would normally go through the church's systematic giving budget in order to give to a worthy cause or need. Maybe there has been an appeal for some particular project or independent missionary or humanitarian need -- all good things. Church leaders would say, "Ouch! It's okay to pass the plate a second time around to meet a specific need but the tithe [systematic giving] ought to be given to the local church 'storehouse.' It is how we work together to do our church's collective ministries." Calls come to our state convention office on a regular basis from pastors and church leaders. They say, "We receive repeated requests for direct support from meaningful, high impact ministries. What do we do?" Great question and big problem. While para-church ministries may have an up-close high impact, there are a whole series of questions to ask, like "Who is on the board of directors? Who reviews the audit of their books? What percentage of expenses is spent on operations and administration?" The same kind of questions … [Read more...]
‘Yellow-shirted’ Cavalry to the rescue in Louisiana
By Staff, Baptist Message Numbers will fade, but the lives touched will always be remembered. Currently Southern Baptist Disaster Relief has served over 46,000 meals, provided 1,800 showers, washed 1,130 loads of laundry and completed 930 jobs with over 5,000 volunteer hours. These numbers are only what have been recorded. With the water receding very slowly in many areas, particularly in north Louisiana, SBDR is still planning and responding to needs across Louisiana. Called the ‘yellow-shirt’ Cavalry by former Louisiana Baptist Convention President and First Baptist Covington Pastor Waylon Bailey, everywhere teams have served they are being greeted warmly by Louisianans. Disasters have a way of changing lives by bringing people together and we are seeing this happen across Louisiana. … [Read more...]
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