By Bob Tompkins, Special to the Message POLAND – Stories of valor in battle are not uncommon on Veterans Day, and two lifelong Southern Baptist buddies and Vietnam buddies from Poland, Louisiana, are key figures in one. Donald Ray Byrd and Charles Lee White, both 74 and friends since they were 6 years old, were drafted into the U.S. Army on the same day and trained together at Fort Polk. They also undertook artillery training together at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. They traveled on the same ship – the USS Upshur – for the 23-day journey from Tacoma, Washington, to Da Nang, Vietnam, and they served virtually side-by-side in the same artillery unit, working the “big guns” – 175 mm M107 self-propelled guns that weighed almost 29 tons and could fire rounds into zone ranges of seven, 15 or 25 miles. Their base camp was at Dong Ha, the capital of Quang Tri Province, then the northern most town in South Vietnam. Byrd was a sergeant, serving as a gun section chief, and White was an E4 specialist, serving as a driver. They were part of an artillery battery of the 4th Artillery, 1st Artillery Group near the demilitarized zone (DMZ). Thirteen soldiers man an M107, with an onboard crew of five – a section chief, driver, gunner, … [Read more...]

Special to the Message JENA – Collection Week during November 12-19 will serve to mark the 25th anniversary of Operation Christmas Child, a ministry of Franklin Graham’s Samaritan Purse that takes place the week before Thanksgiving. Churches and individuals will bring gift-filled shoeboxes to relay stations across the country to begin the process of providing local partners around the world with a means of reaching out to children in their communities with the good news of Jesus Christ. These simple gifts – small toys, hygiene items, and school supplies – go to children overseas affected by war, poverty, natural disaster, famine, and disease, and to children living on Native American reservations in the United States. FIRST BAPTIST MINISTERS GLOBALLY The First Baptist Church in Jena has been involved with Operation Christmas Child for 20 years, and since 2005 has been the LaSalle Parish Relay Station, taking collected shoeboxes to Kingsville Baptist Church in Pineville where they are picked up by Samaritan’s Purse 18-wheelers. In 1998, Frances McDonald was asked by First Jena’s Missions in Action Director Ernie Poole to help with a new project. She had no idea then that she would one day be called to head up the … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – The Youth Evangelism Celebration is returning to its traditional home in Alexandria after a four-year run at Lafayette’s Cajundome. Scheduled Nov. 18-19 at the newly renovated Rapides Parish Coliseum, the largest annual gathering of Louisiana Baptists will celebrate its move back to central Louisiana with two concerts, a BMX team, inspiring messages and ample chances for students to gain the necessary tools to share their faith with classmates. YEC had enjoyed a 27-year run at the Rapides Parish Coliseum before renovations of the facilities forced a move to south Louisiana in 2014. YEC will feature evangelist Drew Worsham as the guest speaker for all sessions. The conference also will include award-winning Christian band Rush of Fools, event Master of Ceremonies Joseph Sojourner, event Disc Jockey DJ Vow, a demonstration by the Real Encounter BMX team, testimonies from students and concerts by former American Idol contestant Colton Dixon and the all-sibling band Bonray. The theme, “Change,” is based on Romans 12:1-2. During the Monday afternoon session, Worsham will lead training sessions on how to use the EvangeCard tract to share the Gospel. Students also … [Read more...]

By Kirbi Cochran, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE — What better way to celebrate Louisiana College’s re-opening of the newly remodeled Guinn Auditorium than to have a concert featuring Big Daddy Weave and Brandon Heath, two of the top Christian musical artists in the country. The auditorium’s renovation was made possible after the college made an insurance claim to GuideOne, an insurance company that works primarily with Christian colleges and churches, following a destructive hail storm in 2015. Guinn was one of 18 buildings on campus that received interior and exterior improvements after GuideOne approved a claim for $18 million. At a cost of $6.5 million, work on the 40-year-old facility was finished at the beginning of this school year after almost two years of work. The centerpiece of the campus, Guinn not only received a new roof but also had its interior completely refurbished with a new ceiling, walls, tile, carpet, seats, sound system, HVAC, and an LED lighting system that is capable of illuminating the walls in a variety of colors. While LC students got an early sneak peek by attending weekly chapel services as well as a rededication ceremony on Sept. 30, the public had to wait until the official grand … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer RUSTON – Organizers of this year’s Louisiana Baptist Pastors Conference hopes to equip participants with the tools needed to lead people of all backgrounds within the church. “Our hope is that we can learn how to better reach and connect with people of different language groups and ethnic backgrounds, as well as families who deal with special needs or individuals who suffer with mental health issues,” said Pastors Conference President Kirk Jones. Scheduled Nov. 11-12 at Cook Baptist Church, the annual gathering’s theme is “Whole: Equipping the church to love the whole church.” “The passion behind this theme is to take a Biblical approach to some difficult topics,” Jones said. “Our heart is not to address what we should do but how we could and would lead our church to live out our shared convictions. We will provide this opportunity through times of biblical preaching and through times of practical instruction in breakout session.” The conference begins 6 p.m., Nov. 11, with music led by Fellowship Church of Prairieville and Istrouma Espanol of Baton Rouge, and with a message shared by Louisiana Baptist Church Planting Strategist Carlos Schmidt. Following the bi-lingual … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer RUSTON – Under the mantle of  ”Imprint – Marking the Next Generation,” adapted from Deuteronomy 6:7, messengers to the 2018 Louisiana Baptist Convention will learn about progress being made toward completing the goal of sharing Christ with the next generation as outlined in the President’s 2020 Commission Report. The annual meeting will take place Nov. 12-13 at Temple Baptist Church in Ruston. “We see pockets of success of which we celebrate,” said LBC Executive Director David Hankins, “but we need to prayerfully seek God’s direction if we’re going to successfully imprint this generation with the Gospel.” The next generation is one of two groups identified as target audiences in the President’s 2020 Commission Report. Adopted by messengers at the 2013 Louisiana Baptist Convention annual meeting, the 2020 initiative seeks to reach every generation and every people group in Louisiana with the Gospel by the year 2020 through congregational revitalization, church planting, communications and collaboration. LEANER BUDGET Messengers also will vote on a reduced Cooperative Program budget. Approved during the Executive Board’s Sept. 25 meeting at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference … [Read more...]

By Shana Johnson, LBC IT Supervisor RUSTON – In order for a church to be represented in the business portion of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, November 12-13, at Temple Baptist Church in Ruston, it will need to elect messenger(s), who then must register and be certified by the Credentials Committee. Merelin McCon, chairman of the Credentials Committee, noted to the Baptist Message that there are five ways for messengers to register and be approved: -- The first and simplest way is for messengers to pre-register using the LaOne online program, print out the registration card, and bring it to the annual meeting. This way allows messengers to be certified within a matter of minutes, McCon said. -- Second, a messenger may bring a letter on official letterhead signed by the pastor or church clerk, stating that the individual was elected by the congregation. -- Third, a church officer can phone in the names of elected messengers. -- Fourth, a person can be vouchsafed as a duly elected messenger by a fellow registered church member. -- Finally, when there is no other means by which to validate a person, a meeting of the Credentials Committee may be called to make a determination. McCon emphasized that pastors are not … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – Louisiana College students soon will enjoy access to a fast track for earning a graduate degree at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. NOBTS President Chuck Kelley and LC President Rick Brewer signed a memorandum of understanding, Oct. 29, to create a partnership that grants seminary-level credit for hours successfully completed by students in LC’s Missions and Ministries program. Brewer said he hopes the agreement will be finalized by the start of the spring semester in 2019. “This partnership agreement will be a win-win-win,” Brewer said, noting that the students and both institutions will reap rewards from cooperating. “Louisiana Baptist churches will profit, too, because more graduates will be on the field sooner than usual.” “We are exceedingly grateful for Dr. Kelley’s leadership throughout his long tenure at the seminary, and as well, his vision for the future of the seminary and Louisiana College,” Brewer said. “We look forward to a long and beneficial relationship with another Southern Baptist institution whose curricula are built upon a Christian worldview and that has a burden for both the Lord’s people and lost people.” Kelley said the … [Read more...]

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 Andy Buckley is interim pastor at Cornerstone Baptist Church, Jennings. Gabe (wife Audrey) McCormick is the new pastor at Belcher Baptist Church, Belcher. D. Jones is the new children minister at Calvary Baptist Church, Shreveport Kenny Joyner is the new pastor at Willow Point Baptist Church, Shreveport after resigning as pastor of First Baptist Church, Greenwood. Jeremy Spurling is the interim pastor at Kingston Road Baptist Church, Shreveport. Shane West is the interim pastor at Mansfield Road Baptist Church, Keithville. Jim Arrant is the new transitional pastor at Faith Baptist Church, Bastrop. Brock Huffpauir has resigned as pastor at New Life Church, Arnaudville. REVIVAL Superior Avenue Baptist Church, Bogalusa: Harvest Sunday, November 11, Evangelist: Joe Aulds. Special … [Read more...]