By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Hurricane Ida operations are winding down at most sites around the state, but Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief coordinator Stan Statham emphasized volunteers will be needed for years to help residents rebuild. “The long-term rebuild phase is Katrina-like,” said Statham, referencing a multi-year effort following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. “With 116 churches damaged, including 28 significantly, it’s going to be a while before this area begins to get back on its feet.” Ida came ashore near Port Fourchon around 11:55 a.m. Aug. 29 as a Category 4 storm (maximum sustained winds of 150 mph, just seven mph short of Category 5 status), tying Hurricane Laura (2020) and the Last Island Hurricane (1856) as the most-powerful hurricanes to hit Louisiana. The storm dumped up to 15 inches of rain in some areas, knocked out power to more than 1.1 million at one time and spanned a diameter of 414 miles, according to AccuWeather. Statham praised the volunteers from 31 state conventions that deployed with Louisiana Baptist DR workers throughout the state at various times, ministering from 13 response centers. Through mid-October, there were 929 Gospel presentations, with … [Read more...]
2021 LBC messengers will be urged to seek personal revival
By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Messengers and guests to the 2021 Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, Nov. 16, will be encouraged to seek personal revival. At the meeting, a 28-day personal revival guide authored by Louisiana Baptist Executive Director Steve Horn will be distributed and those in attendance will be encouraged to complete the “Change Me” booklet. “Our Convention president, Dr. David Cranford, has been gracious in working with me to establish the theme of our meeting — ‘Change Me,’” Horn told the Baptist Message. “‘Change Me’ is the title of a 28-day personal revival guide I’ve authored. Every messenger and attendee will have the opportunity to receive a copy of this resource during our Tuesday morning session. We’ve also enlisted the talents of ‘The Skit Guys’ to help us visualize and apply the themes of this emphasis. I’m asking God to use this year’s annual meeting, followed by hundreds of Louisiana Baptists using this tool, to bring personal revival to all of us. I have become more and more convinced that ‘great awakening’ begins at the individual level. God needs to work in us so revival can spread among us.” OTHER BUSINESS Messengers also will consider … [Read more...]
Credentials Committee: Messengers must register for annual meeting
By Staff, Baptist Message ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM)— In order for a church to be represented during the business portions of the Louisiana Baptist Convention to be held Nov. 16 in North Monroe Baptist Church, Monroe, it will need to elect messenger(s), who then must register and be certified by the Committee on Credentials. LBC Credentials Committee Chairman Mark Morelock 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 www.LaOne.org and print out the registration card to bring to the annual meeting. This way allows messengers to be certified within a matter of minutes, Morelock said. — Second, a messenger may bring a note 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 are no other means by which to validate a person, the Committee on Credentials may be called into session to rule on the registration request. Morelock emphasized … [Read more...]
Louisiana Notables
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 Jim Wallace is the new pastor at First Baptist Church, Cotton Valley. Keith Dowden is the new pastor at Pine Hill Baptist Church, Leesville. He was the pastor at South Central Baptist Church, Wisner. REVIVAL Fellowship Baptist Church, Trout: Revival, October 31, November 3, Sunday, 10:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.; Monday-Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. Evangelist: Scotty McDowell. Music: Glenn Price, Philadelphia Baptist Church. A nursery will be provided. Pastor: Shad Tibbs. Trinity Baptist Church, Turkey Creek: The Mackey Willis Family in concert, November 7, Pastor: Eddie Douglas. Goodwill Baptist Church, Oak Grove: Revival, November 8-12. Evangelist: Malcolm Ellis. Pastor: Lucas House. First Baptist Church, Bernice: Revival, November 11-14, 7 p.m. nightly. Evangelist Stephen Laughlin. Music: Ted Bertand. … [Read more...]
Fewer than 400 Louisiana COVID hospitalizations — first time in months
COVID claims life of missions advocate Randy Carruth
FOREST HILL, La. (LBM) – Randy Carruth, founder and president of I Am Able Ministries based in Forest Hill, died Friday, Oct. 15, after being on a ventilator for four weeks with COVID, family members shared. Carruth’s ministry consisted of finding money and volunteers for various missions projects – often church construction or vacation Bible school – across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Ukraine and Honduras. Amiable Baptist Church in Glenmora was his home church since before he made a profession of faith in Jesus as a bashful 10-year-old boy, relatives said. In time Carruth became a Sunday School teacher, youth leader and deacon. According to his wife, he turned to the ministry after a work-related accident in 1997. Reading missionaries’ prayer requests made him want to help, said Carruth’s wife of 43 years, Savannah NesSmith Carruth. His first short-term missions trip was to Mayan Indians in Mexico. That sparked Carruth’s interest in ministry with and among indigenous people. That interest culminated in Carruth working with other Southern Baptist pastors to start the All Nations Camp Meeting on the grounds of the Coushatta Indian Reservation, about 45 minutes northeast of Lake Charles, Louisiana. News outlets … [Read more...]
CENLA Pregnancy Center receives prestigious adoption award
The CENLA Pregnancy Center recently received the 2021 Always St. Elizabeth Award for their promotion and support of adoption. Executive Director Claire Lemoine and Volunteer/Education Coordinator Maria Burke accepted the award on behalf of the center during the St. Elizabeth Foundation gala Oct. 5 in Baton Rouge. Located at 1254 MacArthur Drive in Alexandria, next to the Louisiana Baptist Building, the center since it opened Dec. 4, 2017, has served 964 women through pregnancy decision coaching by trained advocates, free pregnancy tests, free ultrasounds, information about pregnancy options, maternity and physical resources and post-decision support including parenting education and abortion recovery groups. … [Read more...]
Luter honored at NOBTS for 35 years of ministry, influence
By Marilyn Stewart, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS (BP) – Fred Luter, pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans, was honored by New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Leavell College Tuesday (Oct. 12), with the announcement that a commemorative brick paver would be placed in his honor in the seminary’s Legacy Plaza reading “Fred Luter, the pastor of New Orleans.” As he presented the award, NOBTS President Jamie Dew pointed to Luter’s wide influence and the impact he has made for God’s kingdom. “[God’s] hand has been and is all over your life and your preaching and your ministry,” Dew said to Luter. “You are not just the pastor of Franklin Avenue, you are the pastor of New Orleans, and brother, we are grateful for you.” The presentation coincides with Luter’s 35th anniversary as pastor of Franklin Avenue. The church will celebrate Luter’s anniversary Sunday (Oct. 17). Dew noted that Luter began as a street preacher in New Orleans, then stepped into the role of pastor for a “very small” congregation. Today, that congregation numbers in the thousands with satellite campuses in Houston and Baton Rouge. Franklin Avenue is Luter’s only pastorate. The chapel service marked Founders Day, held in … [Read more...]
Louisiana COVID-19 hospitalizations drop below 500 for the first time in 3 months
NOBTS student David Sneed’s life touched ‘thousands’ despite disabilities
By Marilyn Stewart, NOBTS office of public relations NEW ORLEANS, La. (NOBTS) – David Sneed, 65, was plagued by life-long disabilities and health issues. The New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary doctor of ministry student once said he hoped to die in the pulpit, preaching. Those who knew him best say he did exactly that -- his life was a living sermon. Sneed prayed by name daily for about 2,000 people. Once homeless himself, Sneed preached and led Bible studies weekly in New Orleans’ homeless community. Sneed died Sept. 3 in his 12th-story apartment in a senior adult complex in downtown New Orleans—an apartment without an operating window that remained without electricity five days after Hurricane Ida’s landfall. Jacob Crawford, director of City Life NOLA, a ministry which serves the homeless, said Sneed’s life touched “thousands.” “He was the most humble man I’ve ever met,” Crawford said. “He was a man that had very few material possessions -- very few -- but he was the richest man I’ve ever met.” Sneed’s belongings fit into a single plastic tub after his death, a testimony to Sneed’s simple lifestyle, Crawford explained. On a professional networking site, Sneed described his health issues from birth as an “organic … [Read more...]
