Click to Login or Sign Up

Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

‘Pause’ retreat set Feb. 7-8 for pastors, wives

By Baptist Message staff WOODWORTH, La. (LBM) – Pastors and their wives are invited to attend a weekend of encouragement, inspiration and wellness awareness during the third annual “Pause” retreat, Feb. 7-8, at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center. The event will feature encouraging messages from John Sullivan, former Florida Baptist State Convention executive director; Diana Swift, the wife of Louisiana Baptist Pastoral Leadership Strategist and be inspired from God’s Word.” Participants can choose hotel-style lodging and meals ($210), RV space with hookups and meals ($155) or commuter rate with meals ($140). Registration will begin 3 p.m., Feb. 7, with the retreat’s first session scheduled for 6 p.m. The retreat will conclude 1 p.m., Feb. 8. For more information, visit the Pause webpage. … [Read more...]

Louisiana Christian University’s first C3 event of spring scheduled for Feb. 4

By LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) - Robert “Bob” Stewart will be Louisiana Christian University’s guest speaker at its first Christ, Church and Culture event of the spring semester, Feb. 4. Stewart, who retired in 2024 as professor of philosophy and theology with New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, will share more on "the world is messed up, but God raised Jesus from the dead." He is the editor of "The Resurrection of Jesus: John Dominic Crossan and N.T. Wright in Dialogue"; and "The Future of Atheism: Alister McGrath and Daniel Dennett in Dialogue". He has also authored "The Challenge of Unbelief: Understanding and Responding to Atheism (Studies in Christian Apologetics)" and "Memories of Jesus: A Critical Assessment of James D. G. Dunns Quest of the Historical Jesus." Stewart earned his master's degree in divinity and a doctoral degreee from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas. The C3 event will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m. in Guinn Auditorium. It is free and open to the public. … [Read more...]

LCU classes to be held online Thursday, Friday

By LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) - Out of an abundance of caution for students traveling to campus, Louisiana Christian University will hold classes Thursday and Friday, Jan. 23-24, online. Campus will be open, including the dining hall and all offices. Classes will go back to regular meeting schedule beginning Monday. … [Read more...]

CENLA Hymn Sing scheduled for Feb. 2

By Baptist Message staff TIOGA, La. (LBM) – Faith Baptist Church will host a hymn sing, Feb. 2 at 6 p.m., to bring together central Louisiana churches for a time of joint worship. The hymn sing will include reading of scripture, prayer and singing of hymns. Childcare also will be available for age four and under. A dessert fellowship will follow the hymn sing. "These gatherings are unique times of uplifting worship and good fellowship," Faith Baptist Pastor Clark Palmer told the Baptist Message. "Come be one of 100-plus voices filling the room with song." … [Read more...]

LCU to be closed Jan. 21 due to expected winter weather

By LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) - Due to the expected winter weather conditions, Louisiana Christian University officials have decided to cancel classes and close all campus offices on Jan. 21. Faculty and students will follow the Continuity of Operations Plan guidelines in each course syllabus to continue classes online through Canvas assignments. Hattie B’s will be open for brunch and dinner on Tuesday. Officials will continue to monitor weather conditions for Wednesday. … [Read more...]

The phenomenal surge of faith on the field

From every perspective, the college football season that culminates next Monday night in Atlanta has been a season of firsts. For the first time in the history of the sport, a 12-team playoff will determine the national championship in a game nearly three weeks after New Year’s Day. Teams with 13 or 14 victories will find their records great but not good enough to claim the mantle of best in the land. But something else, something unexpected, looks to be another first on the field — a pervasive expression of faith in the Bible and God’s love and provision for the teams and players, win or lose. … [Read more...]

LBC ‘Bi-vocational Pastor of the Year’ Riddle now craves His Word, not drugs

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer MARKSVILLE, La. (LBM) – John Riddle seemed like the least likely person to become a pas­tor he was in a battle with drug addiction that landed him in the Baton Rouge Salvation Army rehabilita­tion facility in March 2017. But an encounter with God three months into the treatment program, shortly after his release from jail, set him on a path to redemption in Jesus and an eventual call from the Holy Spirit to serve as pas­tor with Life Point Com­munity Church, Mansura. “That night I told the Lord, ‘I want you to be glorified in my life after taking drugs for so many years,’” Riddle told the Baptist Message. “For God to get the glory and what He did in the life of an individual who was so far out there and lost in the darkness speaks to the goodness He can bring on a person’s life. “I love the Lord so much,” he continued. “I have this yearning inside of me to learn the word of God and to preach and teach, and I just want to glorify God and for people to see that God is a God of transformation. “I remember dedicating the following six-and-a-half months in treatment to reading through the entire Bible,” he continued. “When I had completed this task, I took my Bible and … [Read more...]