By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer INDIANAPOLIS (LBM) – Gary Bowlin and Sammy Tippit, two evangelists with ties to Louisiana, were recently elected to the Southern Baptist Evan­gelists Hall of Faith. Bowlin is a past presi­dent of the Louisiana Conference of South­ern Baptist Evangelists and Sammy Tippit is an evangelist who accepted Christ at Istrouma Baptist Church, Baton Rouge. Bowlin, who now re­sides in Summit, Miss., and Tippit, who now lives in San Antonio, Texas, told the Baptist Message they are humbled that their names are included in the display hosted in the Southern Baptist Building in Nashville, Tennessee, alongside the names of so many others they have come to know during their respective evangelistic ministries. “It’s just beyond my wildest expectations to have my name listed among them,” Bowlin said after the June 10 ceremony in Indianapolis, Indiana. “I’ve tried to be faithful to the calling God has placed on my life, and this was a way for Him just to bless me. My peers voted me in and that means a lot.” Tippit echoed the thought. “When I was inducted into the SBC Evangelists Hall of Faith in June, it was a marker for me of God’s grace and faithfulness to me over six … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer BOSSIER CITY, La. (LBM) — Cedric Davis entered Bossier Parish Maximum Facility in April, but just two months later the 45-year-old, convicted for simple burglary, gained a permanent reprieve from a spiritual death sentence. “Satan left and Jesus entered into my body,” an ecstatic Davis told the Baptist Message. Davis responded to a Gospel invitation offered by Kyle Williams, a Louisiana Baptist evangelist from Sarepta and a religious volunteer at the prison. Davis was among 41 inmates who made decisions to follow Christ during a jail visit by a team of 25, June 29. Throughout the morning, the volunteers visited various dormitories to pray and share the Gospel with inmates. Williams (a member of Willow Point Baptist Church, Shreveport) and other local ministers will follow up with the 41 inmates and disciple them during weekly visits. “These men that made decisions are no longer bound by sin and have been forgiven of all unrighteousness,” said Williams, who has visited inmates inside the prison since 2010. “For the believer, leading someone to Christ is the pinnacle. It doesn’t get any better this side of Heaven. What a blessing to see men cross over from death to … [Read more...]

By staff BATON ROUGE, La. – The Family Research Council will film a pilot video series “God & Government” before an exclusive in-person audience, July 26-27. Held at the organization’s Faith & Freedom Chapel, the training will focus on such areas as a biblical view on government, the Christian history of the United States, biblical economics and poverty, decision-making and the godly government leader, and communicating truth in a post-Christian culture. According to the FRC event flier, the course is a product of more than three decades of studying government and scripture combined with the personal political and policy experience of the organization’s president, Tony Perkins. Some past participants eventually served on school boards, city councils, state legislatures and the US Congress, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, a member of Cypress Baptist Church, Benton. The event will include general sessions, question and answer times and meals. Registration for the event begins at 1 p.m. July 26, with the first session set to kick off at 2 p.m. and ending at 5:30 p.m. July 27. For more information, call 800.225.4008.   … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer CAP HAITIEN, Haiti (LBM) – One year after Louisiana Reach Haiti moved its operations from gang-ravaged Port-au-Prince to the safer city of Cap Haitien, Haiti, ministry leaders celebrated reunification of multiple Children’s Village residents in their care while bracing for rising operational costs. Since the relocation on July 4, 2023, two girls in the Children’s Village have been reunited with their families, leaving 15 children in the ministry’s care. Additionally, the Children’s Village by the end of July plans to move into a new home after rent at their current building recently increased from $7,500 to $11,000. LRH President Darrin Badon said while the situation is challenging, he is confident and grateful for God’s continued provision. “We continue to do what we have been called by God to do, which is to make any difference in Haiti, to defend the oppressed, to be a father to the fatherless,” Badon told the Baptist Message. “Everything there is more expensive than it was a year or two ago. Families are facing challenges in Haiti, and we are just here to meet the needs for many who have lived in fear since the gangs forced so many out of … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Eighteen students from the state’s Baptist Collegiate Ministries gave up most of their summer break to sow the Gospel through Vacation Bible Schools held in Louisiana, Montana and Wyoming. Through early July, the teams reported 28 decisions for Christ. GOLA (Go Louisiana) VBS is an LBC BCM emphasis that allows students to serve on teams who share God’s love through what is the largest evangelistic outreach (VBS) of the year for many congregations. The teams typically conduct VBS for churches with low baptisms and who could not hold such an outreach without the help of GOLA volunteers. Three teams of six students each served at churches around the state, June 2-July 12; in Montana, June 2-July 22; and in Wyoming, June 2-July 28. Additionally, most of the state’s BCM directors and associate directors served as team leaders for up to a week each. Louisiana Baptist Collegiate Ministry Team Director Mark Robinson said the experience allowed the students to gain experience working with children and churches to advance the Gospel. “We’ve been doing GOLA VBS missions in Louisiana for 16 years now and it’s amazing to see those missionaries from those … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) -- Louisiana Baptist lawmakers successfully championed key legislation relating to moral issues and social concerns, most notably the restoration of the Ten Commandments to Louisiana classrooms (after being removed for about 5 decades). They also enacted some key protections for children and parental rights. However, despite valiant attempts by some, the legislature as a body failed to ban recreational THC, leaving children vulnerable to continued poisoning by this Schedule 1 drug because of its continued wide availability in Louisiana stores.   … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor TEN COMMANDMENTS The Ten Commandments law, Act 676, championed by Rep. Dodie Horton, a member with First Baptist Church, Haughton, gained the most press around the country for its first-in-the-nation requirement to restore, after about a 50-year absence, the Ten Commandments to every publicly funded classroom, kindergarten through college, in Louisiana. The law uses a version of the Ten Commandments that is adapted from the King James Bible, and it requires the 11 inches by 14 inches display to include a “context statement” about “The History of the Ten Commandments in American Public Education.” Already, four liberal political activist groups have joined litigation against the law, but Horton said the Ten Commandments are in the core of our nation’s laws and that their historical significance has been acknowledged in multiple U.S. Supreme Court decisions, which were used to craft the law in anticipation that bad actors would try to challenge it in the courts. The law asks for the displays to be paid for by public donations, and proponents estimate that about $100,000 in gifts are needed to outfit all Louisiana schools. SCHOOL CHAPLAINS Act 293, authored by Sen. … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer WEST MONROE, La. (LBM) – Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office Captain Patrick Johnson has put himself in harm’s way to protect and serve the public for 23 years as a law enforcement officer. But recently he risked his own health and safety to extend the life of a stranger by donating a kidney. Johnson, a member of Ce­dar Crest Baptist Church, West Monroe, gifted the organ on Dec. 11, 2023. For his courageous act, Johnson was awarded the 2024 Heart of Law Enforcement Service Before Self Award dur­ing a ceremony in Baton Rouge. The award is given each year to Louisiana law enforcement of­ficers who have been nominated by their agencies or the public for acts of kindness they performed outside the scope of their normal duties for the previous year. “Looking back on it, I can say Jesus was there to help me the whole way,” Johnson told the Baptist Message. “And I see how he made me strong through the process. You don’t have to look very far to see somebody in seri­ous need that you can help. And I’ve seen what Jesus did for me and I just wanted to be part of this process. “It never was ‘my’ kidney,” he added. “I was just keeping it warm for Jesus until someone needed … [Read more...]

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Baptist Message provides churches an opportunity to share with other Louisiana Baptists an upcoming revival, homecoming, new pastor, new staff member, a community outreach, or a concert in Louisiana Notables. To place your event in the paper, send your information (who, what, where, when, time) to philip@baptistmessage.com or call 318.449.4345. Please submit your information four weeks prior to the event to insure placement in the Message. ON THE MOVE Emily Slay is the new Production Coordinator for the Louisiana Baptists Communications Team. T.J. (wife Kaycie) Weed is the new Youth Minister at Alto Baptist Church, Alto, Louisiana. Alan Miller is the Pastor. Paul (wife Sue) Perry will celebrate 50 years in the ministry, August 17 from 2-4 p.m., in Fellowship Hall at Coax Baptist Church, HWY 868, Winnsboro, La 71295. In a special services August 18, Jerry Grant will provide the music at 10 a.m. and Jim Richards was the guest preacher at 10:45 a.m. Lunch would follow after the worship service. Kevin (wife Malanie) Ulmer, formerly senior pastor at First Baptist, Ferriday, has joined the LBC Evangelism/Church Growth Team as the new evangelism strategist July 1. Blade (wife Lalynn) Foster is the new … [Read more...]