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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Don’t make a move without God

By Stewart Holloway How do you know when you should make a move? I’ve run into this question by different people on different matters at different times. Should I seek a different job? Should I change majors? Should I make that leap of faith? Should I seek a different church? Should I . . . make this, that, or another move? It’s a question that confronts us, challenges us, and consumes us. How do you know when you should make a move? Prayerfully look for at least four indicators: 1. There is an unsettling in your spirit. God tends to prepare us on the inside before He moves us on the outside. You may feel like a change is coming, though you don’t know when or how. 2. You experience dissatisfaction. By this, I don’t mean that you are disgruntled, though negative circumstances may play a part in your dissatisfaction. (Disappointments can become overwhelming leading us to need change in order to heal). Rather, this dissatisfaction is based in a sense that God has more for you to do and become. He wants to stretch you wider, grow you deeper, use you more, or provide for you in a different place or way. However, let me be clear - this dissatisfaction is not just about you getting more; it’s about God gaining more glory … [Read more...]

Students encouraged to bring Bibles to school October 3

By Focus on the Family More than half a million students from across the United States will join the Bring Your Bible to School movement on Thursday, Oct. 3. The annual student-led event, now in its sixth year, provides a unique opportunity for young people to share about their faith by highlighting its source – the Bible. Throughout the day, children and teens will share their experiences via social media using the hashtag #BringYourBible. Partnership with Drew Brees This year, NFL Saints quarterback Drew Brees partnered with Focus on the Family to promote Bring Your Bible to School Day. Brees filmed a short video encouraging kids to participate on October 3. In the video, Brees says, “One of my favorite verses in the Bible is 2 Corinthians 5:7. ‘For we live by faith and not by sight.’ So I want to encourage you to live out your faith on Bring Your Bible to School Day and share God’s love with friends. You’re not alone.” After receiving criticism for partnering with Focus on the Family, the Christian quarterback responded by affirming that he obeys Scripture’s command to love everyone. Brees said that as a Christian he is called to “love all, respect all, and accept all. So that is actually how I live my … [Read more...]

With push from Abraham, Louisiana College receives $2.2 million grant

By Norm Miller PINEVILLE (LCNews) - Louisiana College received a $2.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to help expand online education capacity and quality. A Sept. 27 press release from Representative Ralph Abraham’s office said, “The education of our nation's youth is among my highest priorities and I’m glad to see these federal dollars coming home to Louisiana.” Abraham said the grant will help Louisiana College “to better serve the students of Central Louisiana as they seek to broaden their academic horizons." “We celebrate this single largest grant ever achieved in the history of Louisiana College,” said Louisiana College President Rick Brewer. “We spent nine months researching the needs of our community and how best to enhance technology to solve higher education access issues. We are beyond elated for what will become a transformational advancement in our curricular offerings and general overall enhancement.” The grant underwrites a project called IDEA -- Investing in Developing Expanded Access -- with three main objectives: expanding access through online courses, improving faculty capacity in online education, and creating flexible online student services. Elements of these objectives … [Read more...]

Takeaways about prayer

By Waylon Bailey Prayer is at the heart of our Christian faith. In Scripture, we find many examples of prayer including and culminating with Jesus’ model prayer (the Lord’s Prayer). We also find exhortations to pray, and we find different aspects of prayer. One of the great passages about prayer is Paul’s writing to the Ephesians. In this passage, Paul described prayer as essential to our living faithfully. As we pray urgently, fervently, and constantly, we equip ourselves for the onslaught that we receive from the world, the flesh, and the devil. Paul wrote these powerful words as encouragement for God’s people to pray. “Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that utterance may be given me in opening my mouth boldly to  proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:18-20). Here are some takeaways about prayer from this passage of Scripture. First, prayer should be more “all” and less “some.” Notice that Paul uses “all” four times in Ephesians 6:18. We pray at all times with all prayer with all … [Read more...]

Joseph Willis: The story of the first Louisiana Baptist

Pilgrims and served as governor for over 30 years. As noted before, he is credited as the first government leader to proclaim the Thanksgiving holiday. Importantly, William Bradford’s Mayflower pedigree did not have as much influence on Joseph’s life as much as the religious movement that crossed with him on this ship. Bradford was a committed member of what was termed a “Separatist” church. Unlike Puritans who wanted to purify the Church of England, Separatists wanted to break from it because they felt it was beyond redemption due to unbiblical doctrines and teachings. It was Bradford’s Separatist views about religious freedom that would greatly influence Joseph Willis more than a century later. By 1790, Joseph and Rachel were living in Cheraws County (now named Marlboro County), South Carolina, just southwest of Bladen County, across the state line. The 1790 census lists him as the head of the household with two females and one male over 16. In South Carolina, two more children were born to the couple: Joseph Willis Jr., born in 1792, and Rachel’s last child, named after her, Rachel Willis, born circa 1794. Rachel died this same year at only 32 years old, but it is not known if she died in childbirth. Joseph was … [Read more...]

Why the Lord put you in a church

By Joe McKeever "Comfort one another." (I Thessalonians 4:18) A lady who read our blog commented that when she was widowed, her church did not minister to her.  And no, she said, “I did not seek counsel from my pastor.  I sought help from the Bible and the Lord alone.” I’m thinking she was saying that somewhat pridefully. I may be reading it wrong. I replied, “God never intended you and me to handle life’s burdens ‘from the Bible and the Lord alone.’ That’s why He put us in a church when He saved us.” We have to give the pastors and leaders a chance to help us. We should let them know we are in crisis. Then, it’s their responsibility to respond appropriately. But if they do not know, they will do nothing and you will suffer needlessly. I repeat: The Lord intends us to help each other handle these critical passages in life. He does not intend us to life our lives in isolation, just reading our Bible and trying to get sustenance from the Lord. He gives help through His people as well as by the Holy Spirit. And often, it’s through His people that the Holy Spirit ministers best. “Love one another.” “Comfort one another.” “Encourage one another.” Have you read that in Scripture? It’s all through the New … [Read more...]

BAGBR dedicates annex to T.W. & Iris Terral

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BATON ROUGE  (LBM) – After nearly 10 years of praying and planning, the Baptist Association of Greater Baton Rouge has opened its new Adoniram Judson, Jr. Missions and Ministries Center Annex. Pastors, seminary staff and other Louisiana Baptist leaders from around the state gathered Sept. 9 at the BAGBR office to mark the official opening of the facility that was dedicated in honor of T.W. and Iris Terral. He is a former pastor of Lanier Baptist Church in Baton Rouge and was instrumental in starting the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary extension center inside the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. Tommy Middleton, director of missions for BAGBR, told the Baptist Message Terral was “due” the honor because of his contributions to Kingdom work in the state. “We stand on the shoulders of T.W. Terral,” Middleton said. “He’s been impacting the work in this area for six decades. His footprint is quite large, spiritually, and he is deserving of great honor.” The facility will house a church planting incubator -- where new church starts can use space for office and worship, a New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary extension center, a pastoral ministry training space, … [Read more...]

In memoriam: Emeritus missionary William H. Ichter, 93

By IMB Staff MINDEN - William Harold Ichter, an emeritus International Mission Board missionary who shared the gospel among the American Affinity Peoples in Brazil, died August 29, 2019. He was 93. Bill was born on Dec. 11, 1925, in Nanticoke, Pa., the oldest son of Harriet Ellen and Harold Lester Ichter. In his teen years, his family moved to Louisiana, and he graduated in 1942 from Bolton High School in Alexandria. During World War II, he joined the U.S. Army. Right before boot camp, he attended a campus revival and surrendered his life to Christ. He served in the European theater and received the Bronze Star and the Combat Infantry badge. After he returned to the United States, he met Jerry Catron at Louisiana College. They were married June 2, 1949, and were married for 69 years until her death Sept. 19, 2018. Ichter received the Bachelor of Arts from Louisiana College and the Master of Sacred Music from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. The Ichters served the Lord in three churches: Emmanuel Baptist Church in Alexandria, La., Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, La., and First Baptist Church, Amite, La. After sensing God’s call to missions, they were appointed missionaries and went with their … [Read more...]

4. Skills of a church planter: Create ownership (Part Two)

By John Hebert, Louisiana Baptist Missions and Ministry Team Leader ALEXANDRIA (LBM) – Acts 28 describes the Apostle Paul’s first imprisonment in Rome as a sort of home confinement with a live-in guard and that for “two whole years” he was “able to welcome all who came to see him.” One of the “all” who was with him during much of that time was Timothy, who already was a recognized evangelist and overseer among the churches in Europe and Asia Minor, but he still was growing in spiritual maturity under the tutelage of Paul. They first met on Paul’s second missionary journey and throughout the following 14 years, or so, Timothy progressed in leadership and was sent by Paul to be his representative to Corinth and later to Thessalonica. Finally, Paul sent Timothy to Philippi and told the church there, “I have no one else like him” (Philippians 2:20), acknowledging his extensive personal investment in developing Timothy to serve as a leader. Indeed, Timothy’s path of leadership growth is a prime example of how leaders are developed over time through the passing along of wisdom from leader to follower combined with situational opportunities that allow a follower to test and develop his or her own skills. This time-honored … [Read more...]

Manuel shares good news at LC Great Commission Seminar

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE (LBM) - In a day when fewer young professionals nationwide are attending worship services as consistently as prior generations, Louisiana Baptist young adults are bucking the trend, Keith Manuel said during the C3: Christ, Church, Culture Apologetics Conference in Louisiana College’s Guinn Auditorium, Sept. 9. The C3 Conference is sponsored by LC’s Wayne and Martha Jenkins Center for Evangelism and Missions. “God is doing some great things in and through our Millennials,” he said. “And I believe we can reach this state through the things they love.” Citing a Barna study, Manuel said 47 percent of Millennials (those born between 1981 and 1996) and 27 percent of Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) agree that “it is wrong to share one’s personal beliefs with someone of a different faith in hopes that they will one day share the same faith.” However, during his travels around the state, Manuel said he gathered much hope for the faithfulness of Louisiana Baptist students. Manuel believes the next generation of Christ followers will become passionate about evangelism, participation in mission trips, service to their community and helping the less … [Read more...]