By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA (LBM) – Organizers of recent evangelistic outreaches throughout the state may have used different approaches to share the Gospel but have achieved similar results – scores of the lost making decisions for Christ. RESCUE REVIVAL The Rescue Family Revival took place Nov. 10-12 at Marksville High School, marking one of the largest evangelistic outreach efforts for Louisiana Baptists in Avoyelles Parish. In the end, this harvest yielded 42 decisions for Christ. Prior to the revival, volunteers from Life Point Community Church, Mansura, and Philadelphia Baptist Church, Deville, held block parties in Bunkie, Cottonport, Mansura, Marksville and Simmesport featuring games, food, a basketball tournament and a classic car show – with invitations to attend a worship service at Marksville High School featuring drama and music by the Philadelphia Baptist youth group and a powerful Gospel message from evangelist Ken Freeman. Freeman focused his messages on rescuing the perishing. “We want to be a part of your rescue,” Freeman said. “In life today the only thing that’s going to save you is Jesus Christ.” Freeman shared about his own experience with God’s saving grace … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA (LBM)—Attorney at law Hugh B. Exnicios is pursuing God’s vision for him at age 85 by announcing a call to like-minded lawyers and notary publics to join him in providing free wills to Louisiana Baptists as a means to encourage bequests to support Baptist causes “in perpetuity.” WHAT THE NUMBERS MEAN Exnicios said he was inspired by an April 7, 2016 article in the Baptist Message that shared data indicating that among tithers only 3 percent had made arrangements in a “last will and testament” to continue funding the evangelistic and compassion ministries they had supported with their tithes. He said the research showed that as many as 37 percent of these faithful tithers would make bequeaths of their estates “if asked.” “I spoke to Executive Director Wayne Taylor at the Louisiana Baptist Foundation and he told me that this would translate into about $60 million each year in support for Louisiana Baptist missions and ministries,” Exnicios said, “if just one person in each of our churches tithed on their estates.” “I didn’t realize that there were more than 1,600 churches at the time,” he said, “and Taylor asked me, ‘How are you going to cover the whole state? How are you … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor MINSK, Belarus (LBM)—The Good and Evil Illustrated Bible is changing Belarus, according to Andrew Ryzhkov, founder of the Byelorussian Mission in-country ministry. After the most recent mission trip by Louisiana Baptists to this former republic of the Soviet Union, Ryzhkov shared that this picture Bible continues to have exceptional influence on his countrymen. “Four out of every 10 people who receive one of these Bibles end up repenting and turning their lives over to Christ!” he told the Baptist Message. Moreover, such evangelistic success comes at a price of only $10 per copy of this Bible version. The news of the impact of this illustrated Bible comes amid the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Bible being translated into the Belarusian vernacular. Yet, despite this historical milestone, demographic information shows that more than 41 percent of Belarusians identify as agnostics or atheists, and even more are nominal in their religious affiliations. Louisiana Baptists have been actively engaged in evangelizing Belarus since 2014, helping to establish local churches, complete construction projects and conduct training of pastors and lay people. Wayne Sheppard, … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – Facing space concerns, Journey Church in Pineville has announced plans to establish a second campus. Located in the space formerly occupied by Economy Boots at 1898 MacArthur Drive in Alexandria, the new facility will allow the church to seat up to 300 people, with a targeted launch date of April 1, 2018. The congregation averages 988 in combined attendance for three weekly services at its Pineville worship center and is on pace to outgrow its current capacity of 1,300 in a year, Executive Pastor Joshua Poe said. “This is the biggest step of faith physically and financially we have taken,” Poe said. “We are called Journey Church for a reason: We are on a journey. “People generally don’t like change, but Pastor James Greer and our people don’t mind changing,” he continued. “We do some things outside the box. Our people are willing to do whatever it takes to reach someone for Christ.” The 14,000-sq.-ft. facility will have worship space, coffee area, classrooms and an office. Darrell Ingram, associate pastor at Journey Church’s Pineville campus, will serve as the pastor of the Alexandria location. Greer will remain at the Pineville campus but will have his messages … [Read more...]

EDITOR'S NOTE: Do you have a Revival, Homecoming, a new pastor, a community outreach or a concert? The Baptist Message would love to share your church news with the rest of the state. It is very easy to do, just send in your information (who, what, where and when) to philip@baptistsmessage.com or call 318.449.4345. To get your event in the paper, please submit your information three weeks prior to event. MILESTONE Calcasieu Baptist Church, Glenmora: Bert and Rubye Riddle, Jr., will be honored with a 60th wedding anniversary reception and party on the afternoon of December 16 at the church. Bert Riddle was ordained a Baptist minister in Louisiana in 1950 at the age of 18.  He continuously pastored for more than 67 years, 25 years as pastor of Calcasieu Baptist Church, along with pastoring seven others churches (both full and part-time). He retired from the ministry 2 years ago at the age of 83 after being diagnosed with Myasthenia Gravis. The couple was married on December 24, 1957. Friends and acquaintances of the couple are invited to attend.  For more information, call Keith Riddle, 318.447.7297.Pastor: Joe Keith Cruse. ON THE MOVE Coty Hardy is the new pastor at Countryside Baptist Church, Hammond. Jonathan Watts … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BATON ROUGE – The time for Harvest has arrived, Louisiana Baptists were reminded during the 2017 LBC Annual Meeting Nov. 13-14 at Istrouma Baptist Church. The largest statewide evangelism effort by Louisiana Baptists on record, 873 congregations have signed on through Nov. 15 to participate in the Harvest commitment to “pray for every home and share Christ with every person.” After two years of developing a strategy, enlisting churches and piloting methods, a strong push will take place in 2018 for concentrated prayer and intentional soul-winning. The cooperative effort includes a diversity of mass evangelism strategies as well as one-on-one evangelism approaches: multi-church crusades, door-to-door outreach, one-on-one evangelism, single-church revivals and other activities which leverage compassion ministries to share about the love of Christ. “Our current Harvest emphaphasis involves serious praying for every home as well as aggressive going,” Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Director David Hankins told messengers and guests attending the annual meeting. “Engaging evangelism at the local area church and churches is still extremely effective. I’m thankful for the new … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer MOSS BLUFF (LBM) – While the outer bands of Tropical Storm Harvey caused a tempest in the Gulf of Mexico as it approached southwest Louisiana Aug. 27, three people at First Baptist Church in Moss Bluff were troubling some waters in their own way. Becky Toney was immersed after proclaiming her profession of faith, just moments before the same experience was celebrated by Carli Beth Sharpton and Nadyah Bustillo, two young girls she had counseled four months earlier about salvation, an encounter God used to bring her to obedience with regard to baptism. Toney had surrendered her life to Christ in 2014, but had to be baptized. “God led me to speak to one of the girls and then little by little He started revealing to me my need to get things straight and in the right order,” Toney said. “That’s when I was convicted that now was the time to follow through with obedience.” The three baptisms are among 65 that First Baptist Moss Bluff had recorded for the first 10 months of 2017. The church acknowledges each symbolic act with the symbolism of lighting a bulb in a display of lights that spells out the word ‘life.’ Last year, the lights spelled out ‘believe.’ Pastor Steve Bennett … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BATON ROUGE (LBM) -- Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee President Frank Page said too many times when pastors encounter difficult circumstances they are prone to believe God has forgotten them. But, he said during those encounters it is important they remember the sound of God’s voice from other times in their lives and to be still and listen for Him, again. “You may have come here tonight dry as the bones we just sang about,” Page said during the Pastors’ Conference, held Nov. 12-13 at Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge. “You may believe, ‘God doesn’t know where I am,’ and, ‘He doesn’t know my name.’ But He does.” Citing 1 Samuel 3:1-10, Page explored the call of Samuel who was attentive for the sound of God’s voice. “Every time we come before the Lord (we need to say) ‘Lord, speak, I’m listening,’” Page said. He said God placed Samuel, who later became a prophet, not in the most appealing city but rather in Shiloh, a community where few people visited. However, that is where God revealed himself to Samuel. “You may think that God doesn’t know your name and doesn’t know where you are,” he said. “But He does know where you are. Maybe, where you are, you … [Read more...]

ALEXANDRIA (LBM)—Louisiana is an open carry state, meaning any gun must be in plain sight unless the bearer has a concealed carry permit. But in both instances, open and concealed carry, there are restrictions: Guns are prohibited on school campuses, federal facilities, and places that serve alcoholic beverages, for instance (not a complete list). Moreover, private property owners, including churches, can restrict people from open carrying on their respective properties, too. Importantly, according to Louisiana Revised Statute 40:1379.3, it is illegal to conceal carry in a church, unless: -- the pastor approves weapons on campus; -- the congregation is informed that weapons are present; -- the person with the weapon has a normal concealed carry permit, and, -- that person completes eight hours of additional “tactical” training, annually. … [Read more...]