By Eddie Wren As a child I always referred to July 4 as simply “the fourth of July.” I really did not associate the holiday with freedom, but with watermelon, cookouts and mostly fireworks. But July 4 is Independence Day and I am grateful for the freedoms we have in this country and for those who have served in our armed services to protect those freedoms. Even so, there is a greater freedom we should celebrate. A freedom no king or army can provide. No amount of military might can secure this freedom, but only surrender. The freedom I am referring to is freedom in and through Christ Jesus. Romans 6:6-7 reads, “Our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.” Freedom is a word that is often used improperly. For example, many times people will use the words freedom in Christ to justify sinful behavior. But Christ was not crucified on the Cross to allow man to live any way that seems right in one’s own eyes. Jesus died to free us from sin. In freeing us from sin, Jesus has freed us to live an abundant, overflowing life only found in a relationship with Him. In John 10:10 Jesus said, “I came that … [Read more...]

By Message Staff NEW ORLEANS – Newborn Elijah Kelly was on the brink on death just a week ago but the power of prayer has helped turn a seaming hopeless situation into one with promise. Kelly, who is the grandson of Gulf Coast Baptist Association Director of Missions Steven Kelly, was born June 6 and weighed four pounds, 13 ounces. 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. Throughout the month, Kelly endured three open heart surgeries, a brain bleed, kidney dialysis and countless injections to help him in the fight of his young life at Children’s Hospital of New Orleans. Kelly even stopped breathing at one point, but the physicians and nursing staff were able to quickly resuscitate him. Now, Kelly has taken a turn for the better. Still critical, Kelly recently began to move his fingers, lift his hand and open his eyes. The condition of his kidney, brain and heart also have improved – all an answer to prayer for the thousands who have joined his parents, Adam and Ari, and other family and friends in this remarkable journey of faith. “We have a miracle here,” Steven Kelly … [Read more...]

By Message Staff Former U.S. Rep. John Fleming has been nominated by the Trump Administration to serve as assistant secretary of commerce for economic development. Fleming, who is a member of First Baptist Church in Minden, has long been a champion of faith-based and conservative values. According to a 2016 Baptist Message article, Fleming submitted or supported bills to: protect health entities that decline to provide, pay for or refer for abortions; defund Planned Parenthood, the largest U.S. abortion provider; prohibit public funds from paying for abortions; and require parental consent as a measure to prevent young girls from being transported across state lines for abortions. “Whether it’s national defense, right-to-life or the protection of First Amendment rights,” Fleming told the Baptist Message, “it’s my personal faith, my belief in Jesus Christ as my Savior and what I think he wants me to do that guides me in my decision-making.” Since 2017, Fleming has worked in President Donald Trump’s Department of Health and Human Services. He was Louisiana’s 4th District representative to the U.S. House from 2009 to 2017, and was unsuccessfully in a bid for a seat in the U.S. Senate. He lost in a runoff to U.S. Sen. John … [Read more...]

By Message Staff DALLAS (LBM) — Only Texas Baptists had a larger group of messengers than Louisiana Baptists at the annual meeting of Southern Baptists held in Dallas, Texas, June 12-13. Tennessee Baptists were the third in number. BY THE NUMBERS The event drew 9,637 messengers. By comparison, 5, 015 messengers were in Phoenix last year. Two hundred twenty-three Louisiana Baptist congregations sent 718 messengers – the largest out-of-state contingent of Louisiana Baptists to an SBC annual meeting in a decade. Only the 2012 gathering in New Orleans drew more Louisiana Baptists (943) during that time frame. The last time Southern Baptists held their annual meeting in Texas (Houston, 2013), only 383 Louisiana Baptists made the trip. Between 2013 and 2018, Louisiana Baptists averaged only about 190 messengers at the national convocation. Meanwhile, Texas Baptists numbered 2,036 in Dallas, and 615 Tennessee Baptists attended. MESSENGERS’ VIEWS Sandy Robertson attended the SBC with her husband, Philip, pastor of Philadelphia Baptist Church in Deville and Alexandria, and a former president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. She said her favorite moment came during a speech by Vice President Mike Pence on … [Read more...]

By Office of Congressman Ralph Abraham WASHINGTON - Congressman Ralph Abraham, R-Alto, has cosponsored legislation to expand Interstate 14 from Texas through central Louisiana and into Mississippi. HR 6111, the I-14 Expansion and Improvement Act of 2018, was introduced by U.S. Reps. Brian Babin, R-Texas, Dr. Abraham and other members of the Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi delegations last week. The bill would bring existing roads into the congressionally designated I-14 corridor and connect communities from Midland, Texas to Laurel, Mississippi. The expansion would provide bases like Fort Polk and Camp Beauregard with quicker and easier access to the deployment port in Beaumont, Texas, and interstate travel in general, which is consistent with President Trump’s call improve readiness and efficiency within the military. An expanded I-14 would grant communities across central Louisiana direct access to an interstate, which will lead to more economic development and jobs. “Expanding I-14 will create numerous opportunities for central Louisiana to grow," said Abraham, a member of Alto Baptist Church. "Interstate access means commerce, development and jobs. It means Fort Polk can deploy troops faster and more … [Read more...]