By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – Mark Robinson told students attending the Collegiate Evangelism Conference hosted by Louisiana Christian University, Feb. 2-3, that they are ambassadors for Christ on their respective campuses. “We’re the ambassadors that are carrying the message of reconciliation,” Robinson, Louisiana Baptist collegiate ministry team director, shared during the conference’s opening session inside Guinn Auditorium. “You are an ambassador and should tell people about Jesus. You’ve got the authority and you’ve got the name badge that says you belong to Jesus.” Citing Luke 19:1-10, Robinson told the students that Jesus saw Zacchaeus in the sycamore tree, called him by name, and in the end, Zacchaeus turned to Jesus. He said that just as Jesus took notice of Zacchaeus, He also takes notice of them. “But you may feel in your life, like nobody sees you,” he said. “They don't know what's going on. They don't know what's happening with my grandparents. They don't know my parents just split up. They don't know anything about what's going on in my life. Let me tell you the good news. Jesus knows us.” HEAR GOD Robinson’s message was part of the two-day program that … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – More than 250 Louisiana Life March Central participants braved a steady rain, Feb. 3, as they marched to show their support for all pregnant and parenting woman. Men and women, young and old, from various denominations and ethnicities joined together to make the journey from the Louisiana Christian University campus to Sacred Heart Church in Pineville. Sarah Zagorski, communications director for Louisiana Right to Life, reminded the crowd that while Roe v. Wade (a decision in 1973 that legalized abortion) was overturned in 2022, pro-life supporters must continue the fight for life. She also encouraged the crowd to follow public policy decisions made by the state legislature in its upcoming session that begins in March. “We’re very excited to see the progress we’ve already seen since the reversal of Roe vs. Wade,” she said. “It's important that even though Roe was overturned, we continue stepping up for women because there will always be unplanned pregnancies. There’ll always be crisis pregnancies and women will always need us.” The life march was the last of five held in the state over the past few weeks. According to LRTL officials, … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer BOGALUSA, La. (LBM) – Pro-life supporters gathered Jan. 29 to celebrate the grand opening of the first pregnancy center in Washington Parish. The Southeast Louisiana Pregnancy Center for Women and Children, located at 502 Ave. F in Bogalusa, will be open Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., though the hours of operation may increase in April. As the center grows, it will offer pregnancy decision coaching by trained advocates, free pregnancy tests, information about pregnancy options, maternity and other physical resources and post-decision support including parenting education. The center will also minister to women who make the wrong decision by providing post-abortive healing assistance as a way to show them the love of Christ. Center Executive Director Clelie Dugan expressed excitement about how the facility will lead to many saved lives in the area. “It is an honor to be chosen to make the dream of this mission a reality,” Dugan told the Baptist Message. “With God's help and guidance, we will serve the pregnant women and children of Washington parish and southeast Louisiana.” Dugan has 34 years of experience as a Registered Nurse and has a Ph.D. in … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff TIOGA, La. (LBM) – Faith Baptist Church will host a hymn sing, Feb. 18 at 6 p.m., to bring together central Louisiana churches and benefit the Baptist Collegiate Ministries at Louisiana Christian University and Louisiana State University at Alexandria. The hymn sing will include reading of scripture, prayer and singing of hymns under the direction of Jeremy Christ, minister of music at Calvary Baptist Church, Alexandria. An offering will be collected for the two BCMs. “We will have memorable and powerful times of worship happen when deeply committed believers give voice in song to hymns about the greatness of God and the cross and the glories to come,” Faith Baptist Pastor Clark Palmer told the Baptist Message. “These moments happen when we intentionally gather for the specific purpose of worship in song. Solid truth sung with the human voice that God created for the purpose of giving glory to Him will be soul enriching.”   … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer RUSTON, La. (LBM) - Pastors must deal with personal pain so they will not move to the point of disconnection, Northeast and Morehouse Baptist Associational Missions Strategist Steven Kelly said during a time of tes­timony for the 2024 Loui­siana Baptist Evangelism Conference, Jan. 23. Kelly shared about how God helped him through the pain of deal­ing with the Aug. 21, 2018, death of his new­born grandson, Elijah Kelly. Elijah weighed four pounds, 13 ounces when he was born, June 6, 2018. Two days later, the doctors diagnosed him with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a rare condition that left the newborn with only three of four chambers of his heart working properly. In the ensuing months, the baby en­dured open-heart sur­gery, brain bleeding, kidney dialysis and countless injections at Children’s Hospital in New Orleans. On the day Elijah died, Kelly was attending a conference. He received a call that he needed to come to the hospital and arrived in time to spend four hours with family members in Elijah’s room before he passed. Kelly said he did not become angry with God, but that he did have to deal with great pain -- a pain that he has minis­tered to many times … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer RUSTON, La. (LBM) – Charles Billingsley has faced several medical battles, but with each trial he remained focused on praising God who eventu­ally gave him victory, he shared with the Baptist Message in an exclusive interview, Jan. 23. In 2007, Billingsley nearly lost his voice after a blood vessel burst on his vocal cords, leaving him with a polyp and unable to sing for several months. Then, in 2020, he spent Easter quarantined with COVID. Through those times, Billingsley said he rediscovered God’s gift of worship. “I remember I went up into the Blue Ridge Mountains (in 2007) and sat at a picnic table when I was reading a book by my friend David Jeremiah called ‘A Bend in the Road,’ and I couldn’t make any noise,” he said while at the 2024 Louisiana Baptist Evangelism Conference. “But it’s crazy because in the midst of all that reading I was just crying out to God asking Him to heal my voice that I would be able to sing again. And in the middle of reading -- while I was out in the middle of the woods -- this big old huge maple leaf just came and landed right smack dab in the middle of my Bible, right as I was crying out to the Lord. And I just felt like the Lord was … [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 Caleb Adams is serving as full-time interim student minister at Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles. HOMECOMING/ANNIVERSARY Westside Emmanuel Baptist Church, Bogalusa: 75th Anniversary, February 25, 10:30 a.m. Dinner on the grounds follow­ing the worship service. Guest Speaker: Perry Hancock, former pastor and Presi­dent and CEO of Louisiana Baptist Chil­dren’s Home & Family Ministries in Mon­roe. Music: Westside Worship team. Pastor: Marcus Rosa. REVIVAL Alabama Baptist Church, Arcadia: Re­vival, January 28-31; Thursday-Saturday noon and night service, 6:30 p.m. with meal beginning at 5:45 p.m. Sunday, 10:40 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Worship: Mackey and Gail Willis. Pastor: Roland Hebert. Fort Necessity Baptist Church, Columbia: Revival, … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer RUSTON, La. (LBM) – Louisi­ana Baptists were encouraged to embrace an evangelistic mindset in at home and abroad during ECON 2024, held in the facilities of Tem­ple Baptist Church, Ruston, Jan. 22-23. ECON featured Louisiana Bap­tist pastors, seminary professors, a representative from the Interna­tional Mission Board, a comedian and other evangelism associates from across North America. The event also included times of worship led by the Temple Bap­tist praise and worship team and Charles Billingsley, an award-win­ning Christian contemporary artist, as well as breakout sessions. GEORGE LEE George Lee IV, minister of com­munity engagement at Temple Bap­tist, reminded Louisiana Baptists to develop a heart of service and win others to Jesus. “How badly do we want to win as a body of believers?” said Lee, drawing from 1 Corinthians 9:19-23. “A win is seeing somebody who has a one-way ticket to hell being redeemed and reconciled to the Father by the power of the Gospel.” He reminded Louisiana Baptists that they cannot win those they do not serve, they cannot serve every­one the same way and they cannot serve God without serving people. “Every day you wake up you … [Read more...]

By Office of Sen. Billy Cassidy WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) has released a statement following his A+ rating on Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America’s 2023 national pro-life scorecard. The rating recognizes his work in Congress to protect the lives of innocent unborn children. “Being pro-life means being pro-mothers, pro-babies, and pro-healthy futures - a philosophy I carry with me in the Senate,” said Cassidy. “Proud to receive this recognition and looking forward to continuing my efforts in Congress to protect an unborn child’s right to life.” Some of Cassidy’s efforts in 2023 to protect the lives of unborn babies include: Cassidy introduces permanent ban on taxpayer funding for abortions Cassidy votes to block illegal VA abortion rule Cassidy demands answers on HHS promoting “AbortionFinder” website, targeting of minors to get abortions without parents’ knowledge Cassidy sounds alarm over the potential use of taxpayer dollars to promote abortion services in schools Cassidy urges HELP Chair Sanders to ensure pro-life protections, protect parental consent in funding for school-based health centers … [Read more...]