By Staff, Baptist Message Since becoming pastor of Old Zion Hill Baptist Church, Independence, in April 2014, Gary Dennis stands amazed at the countless miracles God has performed within his congregation. He has witnessed Sunday school attendance increase from 90 to 200 and worship attendance grow from 100 to 375, and he was a first-hand recipient of God’s restorative care after the historic flood of August 2016 damaged most of his members’ homes. Dennis credited prayer for each of these blessings. He added that the congregation’s desire to follow God has helped the church thrive and to minister freely in the midst of difficulty. Even in the throes of the flood, the church did not give up. Instead, members opened the fellowship hall and Sunday school classrooms to welcome hundreds of volunteers who had come from across the country to help with disaster response and rebuilding efforts. He was moved when so many of his members stepped up to volunteer even though they had lost so much. “Eventually we recovered enough to begin focusing on our new building project,” Dennis said. “In the meantime, we had a better understanding of how much more dirt we would have to haul in for the foundation. “Our people … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message When Charles Wesley became the supply preacher of Center Point Baptist Church, Jonesboro, the last Sunday of August 2016, the average attendance in Sunday school was in the upper 20’s with mostly senior adults coming. Later Wesley became the interim pastor and then the pastor in October 2017. Understanding that young families were important to the future of the church, Wesley challenged the congregation to prioritize times of prayer to reach young families with children and teenagers. At the same time, the church’s leaders took part in a series of development opportunities such as the study “Experiencing God” and they focused on a model of servant leadership. Out of that, the members became passionate about missions, increasing their giving to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, Samaritan’s Purse and the Cooperative Program. Additionally, the church provided gifts for two children at the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and 86 bags of personal care items for those served by His Hands Ministry in Jonesboro. God has answered the prayers by sending several young families and increasing attendance at Sunday morning worship and Sunday school. Attendance is more than 40 for Sunday school … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message Kay Wilbanks, 66, may consider herself just an ordinary grandmother, but ever since she prayed in 2013 that her son Brock would accept Christ, God has been doing extraordinary things in her life and in the lives of many youth at Flactor Baptist Church, Leesville. Once a youth leader at Flactor Baptist, Wilbanks took a hiatus from her leadership position – after her children graduated from high school. When God placed a burden on her heart for Brock, who eventually accepted Christ, Wilbanks felt led to reach many more of the area’s young people. Though Flactor Baptist did not have anyone active in the youth group, Wilbanks did not let that hinder her from taking 14 students to the 2013 Youth Evangelism Celebration in Alexandria. Seven of the students accepted Christ. Over the next few months, the youth group was re-established, with 15 in attendance on a Wednesday evening. Wilbanks said she was tempted at one time to quit because she believed she was too old to relate to the students. But God used the situation as a reminder that He has Wilbanks there for a reason. “I’m not a minister, just an ordinary person who loves the Lord,” Wilbanks said. “The Lord has given me an exceptional … [Read more...]