By Staff, LCNews PINEVILLE -- Louisiana College will celebrate its 110th annual Founders Day Oct. 6 at 11 a.m. in the Martin Performing Arts Center. Waylon Bailey -- noted Louisiana pastor of First Baptist Church, Covington -- will deliver the Founders Day message. Samuel L. and Judith Camp of Covington will receive the Trustees’ Distinguished Service Award as presented by Chairman of the Board of Trustees Randy Harper, who is pastor of Bellaire Baptist Church in Bossier City. Kate Rawls will sing “Give Me Jesus” accompanied by Joseph Kingma. Both are assistant professors of music at LC. “This Founders Day celebration will express appreciation for those who assist the College in fulfilling its Mission and Vision of ‘Preparing Graduates. Transforming Lives,’” Louisiana College President Rick Brewer said. “From 1906 and onward, Louisiana College has held a high standard of academic excellence built upon a Christian worldview. “I am certain the Founders Day message from Dr. Bailey will encourage us all as we acknowledge that we stand on the shoulders of those who planted this College 110 years ago,” added Brewer. … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, LCNews PINEVILLE -- Louisiana College received grants totaling $208,416 to help support the arts, nursing, scholarships and entomology. Funds from the Louisiana Board of Regents Enhancement Grants will provide $55,000 to update sound and lighting equipment in the Martin Performing Arts Center, which will give “a full professional theater experience for the students as well as the local community of audience-goers,” said Tabitha Huffman, associate professor of Theatre. “Our audience numbers should grow as well as student involvement in the productions. Students within our Theater Arts program will have a competitive edge in the professional world, where previously their technical creativity was limited,” Huffman continued. A $58,416 grant to fund Nursing curriculum enhancements will provide state of the art projection and teaching equipment for classrooms in Cavanaugh Hall and the Nursing Skills Center practice lab. And a Lettie Pate Whitehead grant of $68,000 will fund Nursing scholarships. “These grants will afford better learning environments for students and instructional capabilities for instructors through three hi-tech lecterns with LCD projectors, dedicated computers, and drop-down screens. … [Read more...]

By Bradley Welborn, LC Sports Information For at least one day, four Louisiana College baseball players traded the diamond for a runway to serve as escorts for the annual Christus St. Francis Cabrini Cancer Center Threads fashion show Sept. 25. Senior Keifer Moore and juniors Sully Martin, Zane Corbell, and Dylan Keller participated in the event, which began in 2000 and serves as a fundraiser for Cabrini's cancer patient assistance fund. The monies raised from the fashion show help patients with such costs as supplemental nutrition or fuel for trips to the hospital. Former patients get the full fashion show treatment with makeup from a local beauty school and outfits from local businesses to model on the runway. While it is not typically something a baseball player would do, these four LC standouts were motivated by the fact one of the 60 survivors serving as models in this year’s show was Colynda Byrnes, wife of Wildcats baseball coach Mike Byrnes. Colynda was diagnosed with breast cancer in November of 2014, on her 61st birthday, and underwent a mastectomy eight days later. She had her first chemotherapy treatment in December of that year. Following a year-long treatment process, she was officially placed in … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer COVINGTON – Christy Newell had experienced many high points in life as a young adult – getting married, having a child, accepting Christ and serving in a ministry at her church. Still, something was missing – publicly declaring her faith in Christ through believer’s baptism. Her husband encouraged her to join him in being obedient by taking this next step. Standing beside her husband in the waters and their daughter watching nearby, Newell was baptized Sept. 4. “Getting baptized that Sunday in the river with my husband was an incredible feeling,” she said. “The whole day unfolded just as it should. It was just the two of us with our little girl and she was so proud. She wanted to take our picture and she cheered from the river bank. Since that day I can feel Jesus working for the good in our marriage.” Newell and her husband were among 77 baptized on the banks of the Bogue Falaya River in Covington. Nearly 400 people were present to witness the baptisms. When the day was over, the church had set its all-time record for baptisms in one year, with 159. But as exciting as it was to baptize 77 people, Pastor Waylon Bailey said his congregation was even more elated … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer METAIRIE – The young Anglo, a native of New Orleans, admits he is an unlikely person to lead a Hispanic congregation of 200 in his hometown. But as David Speed serves as pastor of Iglesia Celebration in Metairie and trains leaders to fulfill the Great Commission throughout New Orleans and beyond, he realizes it would not be possible without the help of the Georgia Barnette Offering for State Missions. “There have been times where my wife and I have talked and it seems God has chosen us to be in this position because it personifies He is great in our weakness,” Speed said. “On the outside looking in, I’m a young White American guy and my wife is from Guatemalan culture. “But God is faithful and we are seeing people baptized and giving lives to the Lord,” said Speed. “God continues to confirm we are right where He wants us. There is no better place to be.” Unlikely calling God planted a desire within Speed to minister to Hispanics while he was living in New Orleans shortly after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city. One afternoon Speed was driving past a home improvement store when he noticed 300 Hispanics sitting in the parking lot, waiting for someone to come and pick … [Read more...]

ON THE MOVE Lee Slayter is the new music director at Bethel Baptist Church, Colfax. Matt Walker is the new pastor at Peniel Baptist Church, West Monroe. David Hogg is the new worship and college pastor at First Baptist Church, Swartz. Justin Lawrence is new children’s minister at Chenier Baptist Church, West Monroe. Tim Post is the new pastor at Bethel Baptist Church, Bastrop. Charles Dupree is the new pastor at Parkview Baptist Church, Monroe. Sharon Harrell is the new student minister at Lakeshore Baptist Church, Monroe. HOMECOMING First Baptist Church, Eros: Homecoming, Sept. 25, 10 a.m. Dinner on the grounds will follow the service at noon. People are urged to bring a covered dish. Speaker: Marty Black. There will be singing, preaching, food and fellowship. Conway Baptist Church, Farmerville: Homecoming, Sept. 25. Brothers In Christ in concert, 10 a.m. and memorial and worship service, 11 a.m. Speaker: Tony Campanale. Lunch will follow services in the Family Life Center. Friends and families of present and former members are invited to attend. Pastor: Paul Carter. Alto Baptist Church, Alto: Homecoming, Sept. 25, 10:30 pm. Speaker: James H. Miller. Worship: The Sanctuary Quartet. Lunch will … [Read more...]

By Philip Timothy, Managing Editor WELSH – In the small Jefferson Davis Parish town of Welsh, a church and its pastor put its faith on display by providing hope where there was little and giving unconditional love when it was needed the most. Battling rising flood waters himself, Pastor Pat Deshotel and members of First Baptist Welsh set aside their own problems to come to the aid of their neighbors. Special attention was given to a pair of widows. Each lost a husband two days before the rain and flooding began, and a day apart from each other. “I couldn’t imagine losing a spouse and then having to face the devastation of the flooding several days later. They didn’t even have time to grieve before the flooding began,” Deshotel said. “I knew both ladies and their husbands well, and I could not let them go this alone.” Joe Bertrand died Aug. 9 after a long battle with cancer leaving behind Judy, his wife of 49 years. Victor Thomas passed away the following day leaving behind his wife Shannon. While Judy Bertrand, a Roman Catholic, had family, Shannon Thomas, who is affiliated with a non-denominational, did not. “Judy had eight feet of water in her home and Shannon’s trailer was surrounded by water,” said … [Read more...]

By Gary D. Myers, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS -- The Caskey Center for Church Excellence at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary will serve as a strategic partner for the 2017 Southern Baptist Convention Pastors' Conference in Phoenix. The partnership will include financial and logistical support. NOBTS President Chuck Kelley announced the partnership to the school's faculty Sept. 7. "The Caskey Center for Church Excellence at NOBTS is delighted to partner with the 2017 SBC Pastors' Conference in Phoenix to highlight the role of the smaller membership church in Southern Baptist life," Kelley said. "We are passionately committed to encouraging all pastors to make excellent biblical exposition in the church and consistent Gospel conversations with those outside the church the building blocks of their ministries." The news follows the election of Dave Miller, pastor of Southern Hills Baptist Church in Sioux City, Iowa, and editor of the SBC Voices blog, as the president of the 2017 Pastors' Conference. Typically a position reserved for larger church pastors, Miller ran on a platform emphasizing expositional preaching and celebrating the contributions of smaller churches in the SBC. Miller's church, which averages … [Read more...]

By Matt Vines, Northwestern Sports Information NATCHITOCHES – Peyton Rector was at peace ending her college soccer career with one year of eligibility remaining. Finishing a psychology degree in three years, the Northwestern State product decided she would go on a worldwide whirlwind of a mission trip, visiting more than a dozen countries in 11 months. Soccer was never far away, but Rector came to a harsh realization that prompted her to reprioritize her life while paving the path back to collegiate soccer. “My faith grew a lot in this process,” Rector explained. “I always considered myself a Christian, but I realized that my real identity was in soccer. “God finally had to completely take (soccer) away from me to realize that. My relationship with God is different now, and I feel that I am able to return to college soccer and share these experiences.” Despite being away from competitive soccer for nearly two years, Rector will start at her old center back position. Rector hopes she can meld with a young but talented team to help the Lady Demons to a Southland Conference Tournament appearance, a place the program hasn’t been since 2008. THE DECISION An active Fellowship of Christian Athletes member at … [Read more...]

By Marilyn Stewart, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS -- New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary President Chuck Kelley posed an important question to students and faculty gathered for convocation Sept. 13. “Where do people hear you talk about Jesus?” he asked. Drawing from Philippians 1:12, Kelley pointed to the apostle Paul as a “master of Gospel conversations” who talked about Jesus “always, and in all places.” Holding up him as the example to follow, Kelley said Paul talked to others about Christ wherever he was—even in prison. “Where do people hear you talk about Jesus?” Kelley asked. “Is it in the grocery store? Is it over coffee or in any other casual settings?” Kelley acknowledged that students came to seminary to learn to preach and expound God’s word, but cautioned them that preaching alone was not enough, adding that a strategy for reaching those outside the church walls was necessary. “How can you mobilize your congregation to talk about Christ in their homes, at work, and with their friends?” Kelley asked. “By letting them see you talk about Jesus everywhere and at any time.” Kelley concluded by saying that his prayer this year is that the seminary would be a place that encourages and celebrates … [Read more...]