By Matt Tullos Beloved, Look closer into the manger. I so long for you to look into My eyes. There was a time you saw Me as Someone who tolerated you and all the messiness of your life, not knowing for a second the depth of the love I offer. I came to you, first, as a baby so that you would know that my vulnerability is complete. I am willing to be born in the world mankind has ruined so that you will know that I am utterly and completely present for you today. I came to you because life is filled with both risk and opportunity and you, yes singular you, were worth the risk. I came to you because love is never forced. It can never be. On that night in Bethlehem, I had nothing to offer you except the promise that things would change if you loved Me. I came to you because I realized that the world had gone mad with all the useless rubbish that men crave in darker shadows. I came to you because nothing else would work. There was no way for you to truly see the kind of love I offered without stepping out of Heaven’s splendor into the broken world east of Eden’s hope. I came to you so that you could see how I respond to broken people- those whose lives are ruined in the morass of self-defeat. I came to you … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer JOHNSON BAYOU – After two hurricanes forced Johnson Bayou Baptist Church to meet in temporary facilities since 2008, the congregation has received an early Christmas gift – a new building at its original location. During a special worship service Dec. 10, a crowd of 70 people dedicated the new facility which includes an auditorium with seating for 100, classrooms, a kitchen with a small fellowship area, restrooms and an elevator. Pastor Jack Gandy said now that the church has a permanent presence in the community, he believes the best days are ahead for Johnson Bayou Baptist Church. “During the dedication services we were asking the Lord's blessing on us as we begin this new phase of ministry,” said Gandy, who became pastor in 2007. “This is a miracle that has been nine years in the making. It is hard to believe that we are finally in our own building.” For the past nine years, the congregation has worshiped and met for Sunday school at a community center and briefly in the church parsonage, while hoping to relocate back to its original site. Instead of giving up, they chose to continue with their dream. That persistence paid off with an official groundbreaking ceremony and … [Read more...]

By Matt Tullos The incarnation is God’s message that God the Father holds nothing back in order to make room for us. So common and yet so extravagant! Heaven and earth embraced that night and this is what we celebrate. It’s also is a grand proclamation that if you enter the story, you’ve got everything you need in the person of Christ. All else becomes trivial in the light of His appearance because He’s EVERYTHING from A to Z. “I AM the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End.” AUTHOR of my everything, my story A to Z BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR above, my blinded eyes can see COMFORTOR of weary souls, COMPANION of the lost DELIVERER, DEFENDER despite the cruel cost EXALTED ONE who stooped to save, found in a humble place FAITHFUL ONE of Glory who came to me in grace GUARDIAN of my destiny, GOD in flesh and bone HEALER of my solitude, I never walk alone. INTERCESSOR standing tall, speaking for me, still. JEHOVAH God creator, with hands of grace and skill KING of all the universe, immortal God of love LORD in every circumstance, watching from above MAN OF SORROWS, MIGHTY ONE who came to seek and save NAZARENE of providence whose life He freely gave ONE AND ONLY Sacrifice, The lamb … [Read more...]

By Rebecca Holloway If you’re like me, you’ve been watching Christmas movies since before Halloween. Or maybe you have strict rules that you don’t start doing that until after Thanksgiving. Kudos to you! One thing I have noticed about those movies is this: Someone in the movie is always waiting for something. They’re waiting for their true love to come. They’re waiting on Santa to arrive. They’re waiting for the first snowfall so they can kiss under the mistletoe. They’re waiting for the fight they’ve had with this new love they’ve found to end so the movie can end. Somebody is always waiting for something. We’re always waiting for something – no matter the time of year. But have you noticed something? We’re not good waiters. I mean, if it’s only for a few minutes, we’re okay. We understand and we’re gracious. But if we have to wait for something over an hour or day or a week or God forbid months or years, we start getting a little salty about it. We get angry. We start making smart alack comments. We start complaining. We are a very, very impatient people. And it’s even worse if God has told us to wait on something. There have been lots of times of waiting in my life. One of the greatest “waits” I ever had was while I … [Read more...]

By Alex Sibley, Southwestern Communications BATON ROUGE (BP) -- As both a crew member at Trader Joe's and a minister at Progression Church in Baton Rouge, Joe Handy essentially gets to pastor two locations -- his "Trader Joe's campus" and his "Progression Church campus." Serving “full time” in both, Handy is continuing a bi-vocational pastoring legacy that has been fundamental to the health and growth of Southern Baptist churches across the state and the nation. IN THE MISSION FIELD At Trader Joe's, a grocery store chain, Handy rubs shoulders with nearly 85 coworkers from a wide range of social, cultural, political and spiritual backgrounds, most of whom have little to no interest in visiting a church. "So I try to pastor them right where they are," Handy said. "I'm the only pastor some of them have. I love that I have opportunity to bring church to them. "As they get to know me," he continued, "trust builds, and I get to play the role of friend and pastor in their lives. It's fun seeing the worlds of Progression Church and Trader Joe's collide like that." Handy is one of four bi-vocational ministers on Progression Church's five-person pastoral team. Lead pastor Brian Crain is Progression's only full-time … [Read more...]

By Steve Horn Ephesians 5:15-16 says, “Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk—not as unwise people but as wise—making the most of the time, because the days are evil.” “It’s the most wonderful time of the year” goes the line of the familiar Christmas song. I think the line should be, “It’s the busiest time of the year.” Most of the problem is our own creation. We try to go to too many parties. We try to buy too many gifts. We try to make too many people happy. Could I offer a solution to this holiday rush? Simplify! Simplify everything. Simply your giving and going. Spend more time on those things that truly “redeem the time.” Here is my encouragement to simplify. Simplify the gift buying craze. Lest someone think I am Scrooge, I love both giving and receiving gifts. I am just arguing for prudence. Most of what we buy during this time is probably excessive. Seek to give gifts that will advance the Gospel. For example, make a donation to a mission or charitable organization in someone’s honor. As a Southern Baptist, our churches receive a special offering (the Lottie Moon Christmas offering) at this time of the year for International mission efforts. Seek opportunities to share the Gospel. I have read … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer LAFAYETTE (LBM) – When Clayton King encouraged nearly 6,000 students at the 2017 Youth Evangelism Celebration to share Christ with someone while they were in Lafayette, ninth grader Kylan Davis just a few hours later accepted that challenge by leading another person to a relationship with Jesus. As Davis was enjoying a smoothie at a restaurant with fellow members of the First Baptist Church, Houma, youth group Nov. 20, he reached in his pocket and pulled out “The Road to Life” tract King used earlier in the afternoon as a guide to demonstrate how to share the Gospel. Moments later, the Holy Spirit moved Davis to share Christ with Todd, a manager at the restaurant. Apprehensive at first, Davis moved forward in obedience, nonetheless, asking the man if he had a few minutes to chat. “When I asked Todd if he wanted to receive Jesus in his life, he said, ‘Sure,’” Davis said. “I could tell the Holy Spirit was moving. I never thought I would be sharing the Gospel with someone that day, but for some reason I reached for the tract that Clayton King used to walk us through sharing Christ.” Now that he has experienced the joy of leading someone to Christ, Davis said he no longer is … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer LAFAYETTE (LBM) –The 2017 Youth Evangelism Celebration wrapped up its three-year run in Lafayette on a high note, seeing 1,081 students make decisions for Christ. The annual event returns to its traditional home in Alexandria next year. “YEC was truly a celebration of the past and present,” Louisiana Baptists Youth Ministry Strategist Steve Maltempti said. “The Lord continues to bless and propel YEC forward. Students and teenagers are engaged with the Gospel message.” During the Nov. 19-20 gathering inside Lafayette’s Cajundome, 5,929 Louisiana Baptist students were challenged by evangelist Clayton King to share what Christ has done in their lives and to lean on God’s truth. “The biggest lie is God doesn’t love you,” King told the students. “That’s a lie. God loves you. He loved you so much that He made a path for you to be saved.” During all four sessions, King offered a chance for students to step forward and respond to the call of the Holy Spirit. He said simply knowing the truth of redemption through Christ does not set a person free but rather believing and making a decision. “Every one of us is more lost than we ever dreamed but we are more loved than we … [Read more...]