By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer   The congregation of Zenoria Baptist Church in Trout knows the difference 12 hours can make. Last Friday morning, members of the Zenoria’s congregation, members from First Baptist Church in Jena and others from the community were cleaning up a small amount of standing water off the floor inside the church building. By that evening, the floodwaters had risen almost 9 feet and had nearly reached the rooftop of the church, which is located less than a half-mile from the overflowing Little River. Now, the church is waiting for the water to recede. Pastor Joel Johnson said the church that averages 40 on a Sunday morning is determined to renovate the facility and continue being a shining light in the community, something it has done since its founding in 1922. “The congregation is disheartened about not being able to meet together at the church, but they are determined the flooding is not going to stop us from meeting as the body of Christ,” Johnson said. “They are ready to see what that next step is and how do we go about doing it. They are very encouraged about keeping the church going and keeping the church as a part of the community.” As they look toward the future, … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message After a week of rain, the sunshine was a welcome sight for many in Louisiana Sunday. The same could not be said for the rapidly rising floodwaters that has overtaken nearly 5,000 homes, businesses and churches throughout the state. According to initial figures released Sunday (March 13) by the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, 4,958 homes have been damaged due to historic river flooding caused by more than two feet of rain. But during the reprieve many people affected by the flooding went to church to pray for the victims, seek God’s Divine intervention or to just give thanks. Such was the case as the community of Sterlington, unified by the historic flooding, attended services at First Baptist Church Sterlington. The congregations of First West-Fairbanks Campus, First Sterlington, St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church and Foundry attended services at First Sterlington praying for unity in the middle of the present disaster. Pastor Ben Hackler of FBC Sterlington shared from Matthew 8 about how Jesus would carry us through the storms we face Other Southern Baptist churches raised money to assist Louisiana Disaster Relief teams in recovery efforts … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message As if the rain wasn’t enough, now comes the flooding and it could be historic. More than 24 inches of rain has fallen in Louisiana over the last five days and residents are now bracing for major flooding. According to the National Weather Service, record flooding is already occurring along a stretch of the Sabine River, the Bogue Falaya River in Covington and Bayou Dorcheat at Lake Bistineau and Little River in Winn and LaSalle Parishes. The flooding of the Sabine River is being accelerated by the release of 207,644 cubic feet per second or about 1.5 million gallons per second at the Toledo Bend Spillway, which was constructed in 1966. In the next several days along the Louisiana/Texas border the river will rise to historic levels. Residents down river are under mandatory evacuation orders as the river is expected to crest by almost two feet over the unofficial record set in 1884 in the town of Deweyville, Texas. The crest will flood numerous homes and leave roads impassable and towns isolated. Thousands of homeowners in north and central Louisiana have already encountered severe flooding from the heavy rain – 24 inches in some areas. In response, Samaritan’s Purse has deployed two … [Read more...]

By Norman Miller, Louisiana College Communications PINEVILLE -- One of Louisiana College’s beloved donors and friends, Mary Anna Granberry, passed away peacefully at the age of 94 on the morning of March 11 in Lafayette. Members of First Baptist Church in Lafayette, the Granberrys have a history of generosity for Baptist causes. The Granberrys contributed substantially to build the Granberry Conference Center that adjoins Louisiana College’s Hixson Student Center, and endowed two scholarship funds that still support LC students. They also established the counseling centers statewide for the Louisiana Baptist Children's Home. Today, Granberry Counseling Center has 11 sites that see more than 1,500 clients annually. The Granberrys became acquainted with Louisiana College through Bonnie Lynn and an event she founded called “Adults with Seniority.” Bonnie was LC’s director of planned giving during the presidential tenure of her husband, Bob Lynn. “The Granberrys were very generous people, who loved Louisiana College and Christian higher education,” said Byron McGee, LC’s vice president for Institutional Advancement. “We are very grateful for their generosity.” LC president Rick Brewer said, “While our hearts are … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Supreme Court has blocked enforcement of a Louisiana law March 3 which called for doctors who provide abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. The justices reversed an order by the federal appeals court in New Orleans that allowed Louisiana to begin enforcing its 2014 clinic regulation law even as it is being challenged in the courts. Louisiana Right to Life Executive Director Benjamin Clapper expressed his disappointment in the reversal of the federal appeals court in New Orleans. “We are disappointed the Supreme Court has blocked our common-sense admitting privileges law until further appeals in the 5th Circuit, and ultimately, the Supreme Court’s upcoming decision coming in June on a similar law in Texas,” Clapper said. “Abortion physicians shouldn’t have exceptions to safety standards, and we hope the Supreme Court will ultimately decide to protect Louisiana’s right to enact appropriate regulations to protect the health of its citizens.” By blocking Louisiana’s law, this could be a sign that a similar law in Texas also could be in peril. The legal group representing the clinics says facilities in Baton Rouge and Bossier City already have … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer WASHINGTON – The ‘Energizer Bunny’ has nothing on church planter Louis Charrier. On any given Sunday morning, he is preaching from the pulpit at Washington Baptist Church, a congregation he has pastored since 1994. Later, Charrier travels 25 miles south to New Life Church in Arnaudville, where he will lead a Bible study. In between, he even stops off to visit with a prospect who recently attended a service at the third church he pastors, Bayou Life Church in Cottonport. While juggling three churches at once can present a challenge, Charrier said the rewards outweigh any drawbacks. “What keeps me going is the calling,” Charrier said. “If you start to think about the plans for the week or month, it can be overwhelming. You have to take the task at hand one day at a time. God will call you and supply all you need.” Charrier first felt the call to plant churches while attending the 1986 Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting at First Baptist Church in Lake Charles. The emphasis that year was Mission 90, which was a campaign with a goal to start 250 missions and ministries throughout the next five years. He came back to Miller French Baptist Church in Iota, where he … [Read more...]

By Mark H. Hunter, Regional Reporter ADDIS – When Elizabeth Hill was asked why she and her husband George were baptized at The Church at Addis by Pastor Thomas Shepard, her face broke into big smile. “God brought us here,” Elizabeth Hill, 53, said, following the Feb. 21 service. “This is like a First Century church.” Her husband of 16 years, George Hill, 79, a lifelong Presbyterian and a well-known, retired businessman, agreed. He opened his worn Bible to Acts  2:47, and read aloud, “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.’ Well, that’s what’s going on right here. If not daily at least weekly.” Hill pointed to the front of the sanctuary where Shepard and several members were visiting with a young married couple who’d come forward to join and a young woman seeking baptism. “This is a dynamic church and I want to be a part of it,” Hill said. Shepard said they’ve baptized around 300 people, mostly adult Catholics, and he baptizes someone nearly every Sunday. “We have a massive amount of adult Catholics baptized,” Shepard said. “We‘re saturated with Catholics in this area.” “I was raised a Catholic so coming from that background I’m able to convey the message in a way that they … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA – As he visited with homeowners affected by a powerful tornado that badly damaged more than 200 homes in LaPlace, Gibbie McMillan, Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief director, was reminded again of why Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief exists – to show the love of Christ in a tragic situation. Among those he met was Pat Murphy, a single woman living alone in the LaPlace area. When McMillan arrived on the scene, Murphy’s two sisters were being assisted by a disaster relief team in removing debris from her yard. “She moved to LaPlace after Hurricane Katrina where she lost her home in New Orleans,” McMillan said. “She wept as the team prayed with her and her sisters.” Murphy was served by a large team of Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers from throughout the state. Hours after a series of tornadoes touched down in a number of southeast Louisiana communities, the disaster relief teams were on standby, ready for activation. At least 12 tornadoes touched down in the state Feb. 23, the National Weather Service confirmed. Convent, LaPlace, Paincourtville and Livingston Parish sustained the most significant damage with winds of 111-135 miles per hour … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer MONROE – Under construction for the last seven months, a new cottage -- the first in 40 years -- is ready to be unveiled according to Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home President and CEO Perry Hancock. Designed to provide trastional living for women and their children as they prepare for independent living, the cottage is scheduled to be dedicated April 22 at 10:30 a.m. Hancock informed trustees as the Home’s spring board meeting. The HomePlace Cottages, which are located at Martin Village, provide homeless women and their children housing for up to one year at no cost to the residents. While there, the women receive training for a high school equivalency degree and are given life and employment skills training through the Christian Women’s Job Corps. Two more cottages are planned for the near future as additional funds become available. Proceeds from the Brenda Hall Abney Golf Classic, sponsored by Roy O. Martin Lumber Company in Alexandria, is the major funding source for the cottages. Hancock said he had received numerous comments about the positive impact the HomePlace ministry has made on the women. “Many of our churches are providing support for the women,” … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – Despite news reports and surveys saying the Millennial generation is not committed to the church, Michael Wood came away encouraged by this generation of students attending the recent Collegiate Evangelism Conference. “I’m so encouraged hearing from so many of you who have put your yes on the table,” Wood told a crowd of around 700, mostly college students from Baptist Collegiate Ministries throughout the state. “Whatever it is, the answer is yes. Wherever it takes me, the answer is yes.” Wood, who is pastor at First Baptist Church in West Monroe, challenged the students throughout the two-day conference at Calvary Baptist Church in Alexandria to make a difference for Christ in the near and far places. Citing Nehemiah 2:8, Wood said the prophet Nehemiah was presented with a mission to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He said Nehemiah realized what his mission was after four months of praying and fasting and thus approached the king to seek permission and funding to carry out the task. “Rebuilt walls stand on the foundation of God’s presence and power,” Wood said. “And they are framed with a clear mission.” Likewise, students are tasked with a similar … [Read more...]