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 Ron McLellan is retiring as pastor of Gloster Baptist Church on April 28. Mike Palmer is the new pastor at Red River Baptist Church, Benton. Gary Johnson, after serving as interim, is the new full-time pastor at Pilgrim Home Baptist Church, Benton. Jonthan Gers in the new senior pastor at Bedico Baptist Church, Ponchatoula. Larry Eubanks is the new pastor at Watson Baptist Church, West Monroe. Richard Gambill, First Baptist, Bastrop, has accepted the position of Associate Vice President of Auxiliary Services and Operations at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Jacob, wife Allyson, Crawford in the new Church Planting Strategist on the Louisiana Baptists Missions & Ministry Team. Jackson Powers is the new youth minister at Belle … [Read more...]

Scotty Blackwell and Friends will headline the upcoming Senior Hymnfest 2024. Scheduled for April 18 at 1 p.m. inside Louisiana Christian University’s Guinn Auditorium, the event is free to attend. … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff SLIDELL, La. (LBM) – A line of powerful storms knocked out power to thousands and produced several possible tornadoes that caused significant damage in parts of potential tornadoes in the state, April 9-10. First Baptist Church, Slidell, lost some of its gymnasium roof after a tornado came through the back of the church, Pastor Casey Stark said. “A tornado touched down on the back of our property causing roof damage and significantly damaged the surrounding neighborhoods,” Stark told the Baptist Message. “We are working to get disaster relief efforts up and running in our neighborhoods.” The Slidell Police Department posted a video that showed extensive damage to businesses, apartment complexes and other buildings in south Slidell. Officers and other first responders also rescued individuals in areas that took on high water. Multiple injuries were reported. Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief Strategist Stan Statham said teams would be deployed soon to assess damage in Slidell and Lake Charles. In many communities of the state, high waters flooded streets and knocked out power. More than 135,000 customers were in the dark as of 2 p.m. on April 10, according to poweroutage.us The storms … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – Two teams recently lined up inside a Walmart for an unusual Kingdom-minded shopping challenge, the Baptist Message has learned. Using a $1,000 grant from the Louisiana World Hunger Offering, the student teams from Miner Baptist Church, Sikeston, Missouri, split the money and went on a shopping spree to each fill 25 boxes that were then distributed to needy families in New Orleans, Jan. 4. Jacob Crawford, executive director of City Life NOLA and pastor of City Life Church, New Orleans, said the effort met basic physical needs of the recipients and provided opportunities to pray with and share the Gospel with individuals with whom his church was trying to develop relationships. Each box contained food, a blanket and hygiene items. “This not only built excitement among the teams, but it gave us an opportunity to further relationships with individuals who previously were homeless and had recently moved into a rental unit,” Crawford told the Baptist Message. “These boxes provide access for us to meet people we usually wouldn’t.” Adult leader Pam Lowe was amazed at how the appreciation expressed by each recipient. “One lady that we gave a meal to told … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer CAP HAITIEN, Haiti (LBM) – Four weeks after they became trapped in Port-au-Prince, two staff members of Louisiana Reach Haiti have made it safely to the ministry’s Children’s Village in Cap Haitien. Darrin Badon, president of Louisiana Reach Haiti, said the women left on a bus from the capital city early March 26 and took the eight-hour bus ride for a long-awaited reunion with the children and staff at the Children’s Village. They had been living in a relative’s home since March 4, when gang activity forced them to remain inside the house. Badon expressed gratitude for the many prayers on the behalf of the women and the children and other staff of Louisiana Reach Haiti, a partnership between the Louisiana Baptist Convention, Haiti Baptist Convention, Louisiana Baptist churches and the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home & Family Ministries. The Baptist Message published an article on March 16 regarding Badon’s plea for prayers on behalf of the staff members. “God protected them while they were there with family,” Badon told the Baptist Message. “By His grace, we got them out of there today. The kids and staff were elated to see them. Lots of hugs were exchanged and we … [Read more...]