By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer WASHINGTON, D.C. (LBM) – Ralph Abraham, a member of Alto Baptist Church who has represented Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District since 2014, has announced his intentions not to run for reelection. “One of the greatest honors has been serving my district and state the last six years,” Abraham, who made his decision public Feb. 26, told the Baptist Message. “You have to have the heart of service to do things the right way here in D.C. and serving is what Christians are commanded to do. As servants of Christ, we give back to others.” A native of Richland Parish, Abraham graduated from Mangham High School and Louisiana State University. From there, he served in multiple professional spheres, including: as a physician and a veterinarian, business owner, farmer, volunteer pilot with Pilots for Patients and as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Army National Guard, a fixed wing and helicopter pilot with the Coast Guard Auxiliary and a mission pilot for the Air Force’s Ralph Abraham will not run for reelection Civil Air Patrol Green Flag Program. Abraham was first elected to serve the 24-parish district in the northeastern, central and southeastern parts of the state in 2014. During his … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Parents must do a better job of preparing their children at a young age in order to help them function in a culture that is hostile to Christian principles of sexuality, Clint Davis, director of recovery services with The Hub: Urban Ministry in Shreveport, said at the annual Forum for Louisiana Baptist student leaders Feb. 21. “It’s a parent’s job to represent Christ in the Church,” Davis told more than 50 student leaders gathered for the event at the Louisiana Baptist Building in Alexandria. “Just showing up on Sunday or a Wednesday night and expecting a church to teach your kids the Gospel is not what God calls us to do.” As parents and leaders strive to equip their youth with tools necessary to have a fulfilled life, they must base their approach on love and trust, Davis said. “Without these two foundational beliefs, all the struggles of our lives will be difficult to manage,” he said. “They affect how you engage in relationships with your pastors, with your parents, with yourself and with these kids.” Davis said parents must discuss sexually-sensitive issues with their children before the world educates them. He said social media has expanded … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, LCNews PINEVILLE, La. (LCNews) – Louisiana College administrators implemented proactive and reactive measures March 3 in anticipation of a possible outbreak of the Corona Virus on campus. “The first consideration is to maintain the proper perspective with an understanding of the risks involved,” said President of Louisiana College Dr. Rick Brewer. “While we advise the maintenance of a calm approach, the measures we have implemented and are prepared to implement are based on information from the Center for Disease Control and the Louisiana Office of Public Health.” Additional hand sanitizers will be installed in classrooms on Monday, March 16. Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to always carry a bottle of hand sanitizer. The President’s Leadership Team and Louisiana College’s Academic Council are monitoring the situation closely and are prepared to launch the College’s Continuity of Operations Plan that facilitates the bulk of academic work to be completed online should the need arise to discontinue face-to-face classroom instruction. An email to the entire faculty, staff, and student body sent March 3 relayed public health information and details in this news release. Also, detailed … [Read more...]

SLIDELL, La. (LBM) – Grace Memorial Baptist Church in Slidell recently celebrated the installation of its new pastor, Jerry Smith. During a special service Feb. 9, Pastor Emeritus Bob Heustess symbolically presented the keys to the senior pastor’s office to Smith, who has served on the ministerial staff at the church for 25 years. A graduate of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Smith has been associate pastor at Grace Memorial Baptist since 1997. He also was a youth minister there while attending seminary from 1990-1992. He previously served on staff at Pine Forest Baptist Church and West Pensacola Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida; Second Avenue Baptist Church in Roma, Georgia; and Gardendale Baptist Church in Corpus Christi, Texas. Smith and his wife, Mary Jane, have three children.   … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – Bill Robertson, who served 12 years as director of pastoral leadership until he retired in November 2019 to pastor Fellowship Baptist Church in Trout full time, was remembered by family and friends as a soul winner whose passion for the local church continued up to his death Feb. 24. Faithful to proclaiming the Gospel until the end, Robertson was baptizing others his final week on earth. He baptized his last new convert Feb. 16. Moreover, Robertson baptized 20 people and added 15 new members to the church role since he became interim pastor in May 2019. “Daddy could sit in a boardroom with trustees at meetings but yet he could minister with an oil field worker in Louisiana,” Robertson’s son, Trey, told the Baptist Message. “He could fit in with any crowd and loved all of them. “He would share Jesus with people he met, not only knew the Bible but lived out the words inside that great book,” continued Trey Robertson, a member of First Baptist Church in West Monroe. “He was the finest man I ever knew and was the best pastor I have sat under. He wanted to see people’s lives changed and make an eternal difference for the Lord.” CALLED TO SERVE A native of Oak … [Read more...]

By My Sherie Johnson, WildcatsMedia PINEVILLE (Wildcats Media) – Franklin Avenue Baptist Church Pastor Fred Luter reminded students during Louisiana College's Feb. 20 chapel service about the importance of having a genuine relationship with God and to live a life that aligns with the Bible. "Few pastors could speak more clearly about a genuine relationship with God and a life that honors him than Dr. Luter," said Louisiana College President Rick Brewer. "From his upbringing in inner city New Orleans, to faithfully surviving Hurricane Katrina, and to relocating his church for more effect ministry, Pastor Fred provides a sterling example of one whose life aligns with God and the Bible. His is the kind of life that speaks volumes to our students." "I love speaking to students, because I was once a student. When I was in college, I gave my life to Jesus Christ," said Luter. "So, it was a special time for me because I saw the difference that it made in my life." Elected in 2012 as the first black president of the Southern Baptist Convention, Luter referenced 1 Corinthians 10:13, explaining he's convinced that if you're truly saved you can live a victorious life. He is amazed so many people believe the devil's untruths when … [Read more...]

By Message Staff GRAMERCY, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptist church planter Checkerz Williams was arrested Feb. 12 on charges of firing a weapon the previous day at a vehicle in St. James Parish in what has been termed in some media reports as a “road rage” incident. Williams is pastor of Renew Church in Baton Rouge. Mentor and long-time adviser Dennis Watson, pastor of Celebration Church in Metairie, expressed shock to the Baptist Message about the alleged incident and offered that he knows Williams to be a man of integrity and that he is waiting to learn all the details that might explain the disconnect between Williams’ character and the nature of the arrest. Williams served as a campus pastor at Celebration Church’s LaPlace location from June 2011 to July 2017, before leaving to start Renew. “I'm in daily contact with Pastor Checkerz,” Watson said. “I'm saddened that all of the publicity thus far from the secular press and the Christian press has been completely one-sided. While Pastor Checkerz has been instructed by his legal counsel not to release his side of the story at this time, it's my understanding that there is a completely different perspective of what happened. We are praying that when all the details come … [Read more...]

By LC News PINEVILLE, La. - Louisiana College’s annual “Christ, Church, and Culture” (C3) Series features ethicist Dr. Craig V. Mitchell. He is a Senior Fellow for the Cornwall Alliance for the Stewardship of Creation, a board member for the Institute of Religion and Democracy, and is president of the Ethics and Political Economy Center. Having authored four books, Mitchell speaks and writes on issues involving Christian ethics and public policy. Mitchell will address from a biblical perspective this topic: “What’s the Real Issue with Social Justice?” “We are privileged and honored to have Dr. Mitchell on our campus to speak about a significant issue at the forefront of our culture today,” said Louisiana College President Rick Brewer. “He comes to us well-qualified with his background as an author, speaker, and professor at Criswell College and Southwestern Seminary. He served all Southern Baptists on the Religious Liberty Commission from 2005-2014. We welcome him with the expectancy that Dr. Mitchell will speak soundly about an issue that Christians need to know.” Louisiana College’s C3 event convenes on March 2 at 6:30 p.m. in the Weatherby Fine Arts building/Presser Hall. There is no charge for attendance and the … [Read more...]