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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Are you praising God through the storm?

By Stewart Holloway PINEVILLE, La. - On Aug. 26, 1992, Hurricane Andrew slammed into Louisiana after ripping through Southern Florida a couple of days before. I was a junior in high school more interested about getting a few days out of school than anything else. I had no idea how transformational that week would become for me. My home church agreed to become a hurricane shelter, and people flooded in, primarily from Franklin, LA, many from the same African American church. People found places to sleep everywhere throughout the church from the pews to Sunday School classrooms. One family was even in the pastor’s office because we were without a pastor at the time. Many of our church members worked tirelessly feeding and caring for the evacuees. The transformational moment for me happened the night Andrew made landfall. The evacuees and our church gathered for a time of worship. The Franklin church’s choir filled our choir loft, and their organist sat down at our organ. As the praise and worship began, I experienced a joy and hope like I had seldom seen. In the midst of uncertainty and with a hurricane blasting through their town, those people worshiped. They had faith in God in the midst of the storm. For 28 years now, … [Read more...]

Trump, Johnson tour hurricane damage

By Baptist Message staff LAKE CHARLES, La. (LBM) - Two days after Hurricane Laura devastated parts of Louisiana, President Donald Trump stopped in Calcasieu Parish to assess areas hit hard by the storm. Trump arrived in Lake Charles around noon. He also visited other communities impacted by the storm, which made landfall Thursday in Cameron as a Category 4 hurricane. “I’m here to support the great people of Louisiana,” Trump said during a roundtable discussion with city, parish and state leaders. “It’s been a tremendous state for me. I love the people. We’ve had a great relationship right from the beginning. It’s very important that I was here; and, already I've met some people who have been absolutely devastated. This was a tremendously powerful storm.” Prior to his visit, Trump approved Gov. John Bel Edwards’ request for a major disaster declaration, which grants federal assistance to those in Allen, Beauregard, Calcasieu, Cameron and Jefferson Davis Parishes, which were severely damaged from Laura. U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson, a member of the First Baptis Chiurch, Bossier City, was among Louisiana’s congressional delegation which accompanied Trump for the visit. “It would be difficult to overstate the scope of the hurricane … [Read more...]

LC to be closed through Wednesday, will continue to update situation

By LCNews PINEVILLE, La. (LCNews) - Louisiana College remains closed for classes through Wednesday, Sept. 2. Essential employees will report to the campus Monday as assigned. College officials are monitoring the situation and will provide an update regarding the status and continuation of classes beyond Sept. 2. Due to widespread power outages remote coursework will be suspended until further notice. Deadlines for work will also be extended, and classes will be made up virtually; however, students will not have to livestream any make-up lectures as they be can viewed on one’s own time. The college’s residence halls remain open only for students who could not evacuate. Residential students will be advised when the campus will be fully operational to allow all residential students to return to campus. All members of the LC “family” are encouraged to check emails, texts, Wildcat Alerts, LC website, and LC social media for frequent updates and information. The college is grateful for the prayer support of our extended college “family” during the challenging days. We ask for prayers for faculty, staff, and students who are dealing with significant damage to personal property. … [Read more...]

DR response to Laura ramping up, seeking volunteers

By Baptist Message staff ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief leaders want the state to know help is on the way. Initial assessments are being completed Friday in areas hit hardest by Thursday’s powerful storm. Then teams will be deployed over the weekend to begin the task of helping to clear out fallen trees and other debris from damaged homes. Gibbie McMillan, state disaster relief coordinator for Louisiana Baptists, said four locations have been established for feeding and housing volunteers: Trinity Baptist Church, Lake Charles (manned by Arkansas teams), First Baptist Church, Moss Bluff (manned by Louisiana teams), First Baptist Church, DeRidder (manned by Louisiana teams) and East Leesville Baptist Church (manned by South Carolina teams). McMillan encouraged Louisiana Baptists to volunteer or donate at louisianabaptists.org/disasterreliefdonate or e-mail Kelly.Tam@louisianabaptists.org. Hurricane Laura made landfall as a Category 4 storm around 1 a.m. Thursday near Cameron and had maximum sustained winds as it made landfall. The storm was responsible for four deaths in the state, damaged many structures and knocked out power to more than 579,000 homes and businesses at one … [Read more...]

Pastor of the First Baptist Church, Iota, loses life during Laura

By Baptist Message staff IOTA - Hurricane Laura has claimed the life of James Cart, pastor of First Baptist Church in Iota. He died late Wednesday when a tree fell and struck his home north of Iota, the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s reported. Cart, 68, had served as a bivocational pastor of First Iota since September 2011, according to the Annual Church Profile statistical database. The church averages 45 for Sunday morning worship services. “We are heartbroken to learn of Pastor Cart’s death,” Louisiana Baptists Executive Director Steve Horn told the Baptist Message. “We urge all Louisiana Baptists to pray for his family and his church family.” Bert Langley, director of missions for Acadia Baptist Association, said Cart was a man who loved to tell others about the love of Christ. "He came back to pastor in the town he grew up in," Landley said. "He loved his wife and family. He loved people. He loved his church. He will be missed by all who knew him." … [Read more...]

H.B. Charles to headline E4 Preaching Conference

By Baptist Message staff PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – H.B. Charles, the first black president of the Southern Baptist Convention Pastors’ Conference, is the keynote speaker for the 2020 E4 Preaching Conference. Charles, who is pastor of Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., will bring messages during three sessions of the annual conference Sept. 8 at First Baptist Church Pineville. In addition to serving as the 2017 SBC Pastors’ Conference president, Charles has been a speaker at several previous LBC Pastors’ Conferences. The conference will feature music by the First Baptist Pineville praise team, and, present breakout sessions on such topics as preaching from John’s Epistles, I Corinthians, and the prophets; planning an effective invitation; spiritual warfare; and more (led by professors from Louisiana College, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and pastors from other states). “We are looking forward to an exciting E4 this year,” First Baptist Pineville Pastor Stewart Holloway told the Baptist Message. “We will follow social distancing protocols in order to provide you with an engaging and safe conference opportunity.” The E4 Conference began in … [Read more...]

Louisiana Notables

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@baptistmessage.com or call 318.449.4345. To get your event in the paper, please submit your information three weeks prior to the event. ON THE MOVE Jason (wife Lori) McNaughten is the new pastor of Walker Baptist Church, Walker from First Baptist Church, New Roads in Pointe Coupee Parish. Jeff May is the new pastor at Cypress Baptist Church, West Monroe. John (wife Adrianne) McCatherty is the new pastor at Rodessa Baptist Church, Rodessa. Scott Teutsch is the new pastor at Trinity Heights Baptist Church, Shreveport from Plain Dealing Baptist Church, Plain Dealing. Ron Nation resigns as pastor of Unity Baptist Church, Deville to plant NOW Church in Creola. James (wife Toni) Brown is the new pastor at Unity Baptist Church, Deville. Darryl Hoychick retires as pastor at Trinity Baptist Church, Pineville. Kevin (wife Bobbye) Roberts is the new pastor at Trinity Baptist Church, Pineville. Bob Colquette is the new pastor Bethany Baptist … [Read more...]

COVID-19 Pandemic is “The Right Time” to share the Gospel

By John Kyle, Louisiana Baptists communication director ALEXANDRIA, La. – Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, Louisiana Baptists are convinced this is “The Right Time” to reach the state. “When the Lord led us to the theme ‘The Right Time’ for our 2020 Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering emphasis, little did we know what 2020 would bring,” said John Kyle, director of communications for Louisiana Baptists. “Obviously, God knew the fear and uncertainty that would accompany COVID-19 thus making this ‘The Right Time’ to share the assurance and hope found in a relationship with Christ.” Kyle noted the theme for this year’s state missions offering was taken from Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth in which he challenged the early believers to realize “Indeed, the ‘right time’ is now. Today is the day of salvation” (2 Cor.6:2, NLT). “These words speak to the current condition of our culture,” said Louisiana Baptists Executive Director Steve Horn. “We’ve been reminded how quickly things can change. How quickly our health can turn. How quickly our finances can evaporate. People are looking for what Jesus has to offer and Louisiana Baptists have the opportunity to share His promise of peace and provision to the … [Read more...]

Sunday drive changes spiritual destination for Kenner man

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer KENNER, La. (LBM) - A leisurely drive around Kenner on a Sunday morning in June turned out to be more than a joy ride for Jaicoven Johnson and his family. That fateful road trip took them past the campus of the Family Church where they saw members gathered outside in fellowship before entering the worship center. Intrigued by the love and joy on display, they began attending services, and on Aug. 16 church members gathered around him to celebrate his walk of faith from confession through baptism. “Something on that day in June told us to check out Family Church,” Johnson told the Baptist Message. “I felt an instant connection that only grew stronger. Instead of waiting, I wanted to get baptized the day I accepted Christ. It’s been everything I could have asked for, and more.” MERGER TO BAPTISM Johnson‘s baptism was the fi rst for Family Church, a congregation that was formed in March from a merger between Restoration Church in Metairie and Crossroads Church in Kenner. Crossroads Church had seen a decline in membership from 183 in 2012 to 20 in 2019, according to the Annual Church Profile. Meanwhile, Restoration Church had been meeting on the campus of their parent … [Read more...]

Children’s Home youngsters’ birthday gifts lift spirit of nursing home resident

By Baptist Message staff MONROE, La. (LBM) – Oleta Gibson, a 104-year-old resident of the Avalon Place Nursing Home in Monroe, received a surprise visit in early April from some Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home youngsters who delivered special birthday gifts. The children surprised Gibson with homemade pictures and a rendition of the classic song “Happy Birthday” from outside her window. “We try to teach these kids from an early age we need to serve as Jesus did and look for ways to encourage others,” Lisa Vaughn, who serves as a cottage parent with her husband, Larry, told the Baptist Message. “It was such a blessing to see them on board with this from the time we told them about this idea.” A few weeks after the novel coronavirus pandemic shut out visitors to nursing home facilities in the state, Vaughn learned that Gibson’s family would not be able to come to Avalon Place for the birthday celebration. Th e children quickly volunteered to color the pictures that subsequently brought smiles to Gibson on her special day. “Larry and Lisa Vaughn do a great job serving as cottage parents,” shared Marc Eichelberger, vice president of development and public relations for the Children’s Home. “We are grateful for them taking … [Read more...]