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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

A spiritual ‘Enterprise’ in Lake Charles

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer LAKE CHARLES – The sale of facilities that formerly belonged to a struggling Anglo church in Lake Charles has breathed new life into an African- American congregation in the city. The property, located at 3007 Enterprise Boulevard and which used to house the once-thriving Boulevard Baptist Church, was sold Feb. 22 to Mount Olive Baptist Church. At one time Boulevard Baptist Church had as many as 1,320 members, according to Annual Church Profile statistics. But as the demographics of the neighborhood changed, attendance steadily declined, with fewer than 15 members attending in late 2017. Rather than close the doors, Boulevard Baptist chose to sell the property to Carey Baptist Association the following year. The association continued to allow the congregation to worship in the facilities while a new buyer was found. Meanwhile, Mt. Olive Baptist was praying about its vision for the future when the Holy Spirit orchestrated a conversation in October 2017 between Carey Association Director of Missions Bruce Baker and Pastor Braylon Harris about a possible relocation to Boulevard Baptist’s property. Instead of focusing on adding onto its existing facilities at its 37-acre property, … [Read more...]

Unlike the world, Jesus knows how to be happy

By Jeff Ginn Every year the Gallup organization releases a “World Happiness Report.” It ranks the countries of the world as to their happiness. Happiness is measured, in part, with survey questions such as, “Are [you] very happy, pretty happy, or not too happy?” “Very happy” responses are worth three points. “Pretty happy” is worth two points and “not too happy” is worth one point. You might be interested to know where the United States ranks in the 2019 report. Let me go ahead and break the suspense: we are not #1. Despite our relative affluence and power, we don’t even make the top five or top ten. We barely squeak inside the top 20 at the #19 position. That’s ironic, isn’t it? There’s an entire chapter in the “World Happiness Report” that explores this disconnect. Chapter five’s title begins, “The Sad State of Happiness in the United States.” Here’s a paragraph from that chapter: “This decline in happiness and mental health seems paradoxical. By most accounts, Americans should be happier now than ever. The violent crime rate is low, as is the unemployment rate. Income per capita has steadily grown over the last few decades. This is the Easterlin paradox: As the standard of living improves, so should happiness – but … [Read more...]

15 ‘resurrections’ at First Haughton sunrise service

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer HAUGHTON – More than 550 people turned out at 6:30 a.m. for an annual Easter sunrise service at Hillcrest Cemetery in Haughton, 8 miles from the First Baptist Church in Haughton, which provided the music and message for the special service. Gevan Spinney, pastor of First Haughton, said the cemetery was a fitting backdrop to share the timeless story of Christ’s victory over death, and that 15 former sinners were rescued from a spiritual grave that day. “For many of those in attendance the cemetery has been a place of heartache and defeat, this Sunday morning it was a place of victory.” Spinney said. “We use this service as an opportunity to share the Gospel with our community and it is always a special service, but this year the Holy Spirit showed up in an especially powerful way.” Though the service was conducted by First Haughton, the event drew members from surrounding churches as well as people who rarely attend any worship service. Spin­ney said the service has be­come a tradition for those not connected to a church, which he sees as the perfect opportunity to share the hope of Christ. “Hillcrest sends out invitations to all the people who have loved ones buried there, … [Read more...]

Easter baptisms a bridge between the past, present

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer MADISONVILLE – “We know the early church often would baptize on Resurrection Day, so we were able to celebrate like the early church did more than 2,000 years ago,” Pastor Lane Corley told the Baptist Message, in explaining the public testimony element of five baptisms celebrated on Easter at the Bridge Church. “A lot of families come to church anyway that day, including a good number who don’t regularly attend services, and it presented the perfect chance to share with them the theme of new life and transformation that is possible through Christ,” said Corley, who also serves as a church planting strategist for Louisiana Baptists. Corley said his congregation has held multiple baptism services each year since the church was founded in 2009, but that this was the first time they had done so on Easter Sunday. Dawn Black was among those who stirred the baptistery waters this Easter. She had professed her faith in Christ as a youngster, but did not understand the importance of obedience represented by baptism. As she grew older, her desire to attend worship services at a local church waned. However, her sister, Kallie, invited her to attend Bridge Church in late 2018, and within … [Read more...]

IRS gives Satanic Temple ‘church’ tax exempt status

WASHINGTON, D.C. (LBM) – Not even two weeks after tax day, the Satanic Temple, a self- described atheist group, celebrated that “for the very [first] time in history a satanic organization has been recognized by the United States federal government as being a church.” The categorization allows the Satanic Temple to receive tax-deductible charitable contributions. According to LifeSite- News.com, the Satanic Temple website clearly acknowledges it is not a religion per se and does not believe in Satan, but simply uses the name as a “symbol of the Eternal Rebel in opposition to arbitrary authority.” But the group argued to the IRS that the “narrative structure by which we contextualize our lives” and which gives members a “sense of identity, culture, community, and shared values” qualifies it as a religion. The surprise IRS announcement followed by a month or so the ruling by the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that denied the minister’s housing allowance benefit to another atheistic group, the Freedom From Religion Foundation based in Wisconsin. … [Read more...]

Florida set to ban sanctuary cities

By Message Staff TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (LBM) – The chambers of Florida’s legislature have passed competing bills banning sanctuary cities in the state, with the House version imposing a $5,000-per- day fine for each day that a sanctuary-city policy is in place and including a rule to suspend or remove government employees or elected officials who defy the ban. But both bills require local and state law enforcement to honor any federal agency’s request for detention of any person believed to be a “removable alien” under federal immigration law. If the differences can be worked out, observers expect Gov. DeSantis to sign the reconciled bill into law, with Florida joining nine other states (Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas) to enact such a mandate. A 2017 bill that would have prohibited sanctuary cities in Louisiana was left to die in committee, but the impact of that legislative failure is uncertain. The Center of Immigration Studies lists New Orleans as a “sanctuary city,” however the city signed a 2012 federal consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice Louisiana which governs its conduct with regard to reporting the immigration status of “victims or … [Read more...]

New Orleans flood insurance coverage at risk

By Message Staff NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has declared that the $14 billion spent to fortify the Greater New Orleans area against flooding in the wake of devastation by Hurricane Katrina is at risk of failure, putting the region at risk of being disqualified from participation in the National Flood Insurance Program. In a “Notice of Intent” to prepare an environmental impact statement as part of a re-evaluation report, USACE stated the previous work it had completed to upgrade the levees, floodwalls, gates and pumps to reduce hurricane and storm damage risk at the “100-year level” was in peril in part due to weak soils and subsidence (sinking). The statement said an “engineering analysis” indicated the measures previously taken could be for naught “as early as 2023 … absent future levee lifts.” At that point, USACE will notify FEMA of the loss of risk reduction, “which may result in the loss of accreditation required for participation in the National Flood Insurance Program.” … [Read more...]

Drills put participants through biblical paces

By Holly Jo Linzay Regional Reporter PINEVILLE – Intense concentration furrowed the brows of the nine ninth- grade students lined up across the stage in a face-off battle in the state Bible Drill competition. A scripture reference was called. The drill conductor said, “Start.” The students quickly flipped through their Bibles and then stepped forward when the verse was found. Time was called after eight seconds. In the end, two freshmen – Milain Marce, Ascension Baptist Church in Gonzales, and Jackson Barnes, First Baptist Church in Covington – were named winners and this summer will represent Louisiana Baptists in the Youth Division of the Bible Drill national competition in Concord, North Carolina. That match is representative of a day of fierce competition at the 2019 Louisiana Baptist State Youth and High School Bible Drill and Speakers Tournament held April 27 at the First Baptist Church in Pineville. Brandon Lewis, LBC youth ministry strategist, said Bible Drill is part of a discipleship program designed to assist youth in developing useful skills and knowledge of the Bible. The program teaches and tests students’ knowledge of the books of the Bible basic beliefs and doctrinal convictions, and, different … [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 James H. Miller retired April 14 as pas­tor of the First Baptist Church, Spearsville. John Elliott retired April 28 from Em­manuel Baptist Church, Natchitoches. David Correira has resigned as pastor of Eastside Baptist Church, Ponchatoula. Stan Wyant is the new pastor at Faith Baptist Church, Bastrop. John-Robert Phillips is the new associ­ate pastor to students at First Baptist Church, Hammond. Haven Kinchen is the new director of children’s ministries at First Baptist Church, Hammond. Robert Robinson is the new pastor at Covenant Baptist Church, Slidell. Joseph (wife Megan) Cumberland is the new youth pastor at Rose Park Baptist Church from First Baptist Church, Tallulah. REVIVAL Social Springs Baptist Church, Ringgold: Harvest Sunday, May 12, 11 a.m. Evange­list: Sam Moore. … [Read more...]

Big numbers jumpstart ABC construction project

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer EUNICE – A million dollar gift to the Acadian Baptist Center has helped jumpstart construction on a much-needed new worship center, with camp leaders, board members and supporters breaking ground April 11 in a ceremony to launch construction and to celebrate how God has provided financially to build the facility. “A man and his wife came to summer camp worship and saw the gym full to the brim, and couldn’t stop thinking about our need for a new worship center,” camp director James Newsom told the Baptist Message. “He said I don’t know how God speaks to you but I couldn’t quit thinking about your need for the worship center so my wife and I decided to help you get started.” When completed in April 2020, the $3 million, 18,000-sq.-ft. facility will accommodate up to 1,000 people. More than $2.3 million has been raised in gifts and pledges. Additionally, the camp is signing up volunteers to augment the work performed by professional crews, he said. “It’s really exciting to finally get this project started because it’s such a God thing,” Newsom said. “Attendance has increased to 3,000 for camp, and we are thrilled the kids will have a nice worship center to enjoy. So many people … [Read more...]