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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Texans facing ‘unprecedented rainfall and flooding’ from Harvey; worst yet to come

By Message Staff ALEXANDRIA (LBM) - As Tropical Storm Harvey continues to slowly make its way up southeast Texas, Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief State Director Gibbie McMillan is joining others around the country in urging prayers, donations and volunteers to help thousands of residents affected. "With all the flooding in Texas we must remember that a year ago many Texans came to Louisiana to help," McMillan said. "And they sent thousands of dollars as well to help us. Now, it is time to pay it back. "They didn't ask us to give but they did," he continued. "Now, we must respond in like manner. That is how Christian brothers and sisters act. They show the love of Christ." Harvey made landfall near Rockport, Texas as a Category 4 hurricane late Friday night, but downgraded to a tropical storm by Saturday. The hurricane center in its Sunday update the tropical storm has maximum sustained winds of 45 mph and remains stationary about 45 miles northwest of Victoria, Texas. At least five deaths and more than a dozen injuries were reported by Sunday afternoon in Harvey's aftermath.rHarve In Houston, the nation's fourth-largest city, rescue personnel made more than 1,200 rescues and were answering thousands of calls from people … [Read more...]

PreTeen Invasion encourages students to build foundation on Christ

By Message Staff LAFAYETTE - When many in the culture are urging a foundation built on worldly ideals, Christians should instead focus on one centered on God, Terry Young reminded more than 350 pre-teens on Saturday, Aug. 26. "You have a purpose," Young said during PreTeen Invasion at First Baptist Church in Lafayette. "Your purpose can be great or you can settle for less. "Don't listen to the lies of the world," he said. "Satan wants to tell you all kinds of lies. But God came to build our life, to make it better." Young, pastor of Airline Baptist Church in Bossier City, was the main speaker for PreTeen Invasion at First Baptist Church in Lafayette. The event also featured music by the worship team from Cypress Baptist Church in Benton and games led by the Louisiana College Interactive Team. Participants had the choice between two locations – Temple Baptist Church in Ruston on Aug. 19 or First Baptist Church in Lafayette on Aug. 26 – for this age group’s annual evangelism conference. Though the event took place at two separate locations on two separate dates, it offered the same games, interactive activities, worship and Gospel opportunities. More than 550 attended PreTeen Invasion in Ruston and 350 more came to … [Read more...]

Lemoine tabbed to direct Cenla’s first pro-life pregnancy center

By Message Staff ALEXANDRIA – Supporters of the first pro-life pregnancy center in central Louisiana gathered Friday, Aug. 25, to celebrate both the hiring of a director and the announcement of when the highly anticipated center would formally open its doors. Marksville’s Claire Lemoine was introduced as the director of the Cenla Pregnancy Center. Following her introduction, she addressed a supportive gathering. The facility is located in the old Baptist Bookstore, next to the Baptist Building in Alexandria. “Because of a group of passionate, Christian, pro-life leaders in central Louisiana, you are standing in this Cenla Pregnancy Center,” Lemoine said. “And what an exciting time it is to be part of the pro-life movement here in our own community. “This community has said yes to the fight for life,” she continued. “This community has say yes to supporting our mothers and babies and families. This community has said yes – we need a pregnancy center in central Louisiana.” She shared God has been preparing her for the position for some time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYxMwXb1me0 For the past 10 years, Lemoin has worked with low-income, first-time mothers in a home setting. She also has served for more than … [Read more...]

Michael Evans to be nominated for LBC second vice president

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer FOREST HILL (LBM) – Michael Evans will be nominated for the office of second vice president for the Louisiana Baptist Convention during the 2017 LBC Annual Meeting. Tim Lee, pastor of Smyrna Baptist Church in DeRidder, plans to nominate Evans for the position. “Mike is very mission minded and sees the best in people,” said Lee, who has been mentored by Evans for 22 years. “He loves the church and the mission of the church, and he has a heart for evangelism and for just encouraging and uplifting others. His example as second vice president would greatly benefit all Louisiana Baptists.” Evans, who is pastor of Elwood Baptist Church in Forest Hill, is the only announced candidate for the office. Evans said, if elected, he would be honored to represent his fellow bi-vocational and smaller church pastors with the state convention. Elwood Baptist Church averages 75 in worship service and 50 in Sunday school attendance, according to Annual Church Profile statistics. He said he also would like to help facilitate greater cooperation and stronger fellowship among pastors of churches of all sizes. “I would like to see the Barnabas spirit spread throughout our Convention,” he said. … [Read more...]

Religious freedom must be a foreign policy priority

By John N. Kennedy, U.S. Senator “I believe that the most essential element of our defense of freedom is our insistence on speaking out for the cause of religious liberty. I would like to see this country rededicate itself wholeheartedly to this cause. … We are our brothers’ keepers, all of us.” President Ronald Reagan WASHINGTON (LBM) -- If you’ve seen the Oscar-winning movie “Slumdog Millionaire,” you’ve had just a glimpse of the poverty that exists in India. Mumbai, the largest city in the country, is home to one of the world’s largest slums, the Dharavi district, which alone has a million residents eking out an existence in squalid overcrowded conditions. Some reports estimate up to 60 percent of the city’s 21 million citizens live in such dire circumstances. Unfortunately, such human tragedy is not problematic just for Mumbai. Instead, roughly eight percent of India’s people live in slums and about one-sixth of the 1.31 billion citizens are impoverished, earning less than $1.90 a day. Religious and humanitarian organizations from around the world have been responding generously over the years, contributing time and money to help. For example, in the United States large numbers of Christians take time from … [Read more...]

Does God love you and want to save you?

By Mike Holloway, Guest Columnist ALEXANDRIA (LBM)--Where are we going in the Southern Baptist Convention pertaining to the love of God? I am hearing and reading about more and more Southern Baptists who say that God does not love the world, with some using theologically hair-splitting statements like “well God doesn’t love everyone the same or with the same kind of love” to argue their point. I would like to see the Bible verse that tells us that. More importantly, I really want to know if the Southern Baptist Convention is moving in that direction, one that discourages me from going to my neighbor and telling Him that God loves him and has a wonderful plan for his life. If this is the new SBC direction, then we really don’t have much of a message of hope to a lost and dying world. We need to throw away our Gospel tracts and stop doing outreach altogether because we’d be lying to some of our neighbors if God really doesn’t love them. I recently read an article by Lisa Bevere titled, “God Doesn’t Love His Children Equally,” in which she contends “God loves us uniquely rather than equally.” She wrote convincingly that “unique” is better than “equal” in that “equal” implies God’s love is “measured or … [Read more...]

Louisuiana Notables

ON THE MOVE Steven (wife Pammie) McAbee is the new pastor of Open Door Fellowship in Coushatta. Avery Dixon is the new pastor at Trinity Baptist Church, Hammond. Bobby LeCompte is the new discipleship minister at Bedico Baptist Church, Ponchatoula. Casey Stark is the new pastor at First Baptist Church, Slidell. Zach Husser is the new minister of music/discipleship at Westside Baptist Church, Ponchatoula. Blake Becnel is the new minister to young adults at Westside Baptist Church, Ponchatoula. Ray Werline is the new pastor at Woodhaven Baptist Church, Tickfaw. HOMECOMING First Baptist Church, Doyline: 93rd Homecoming, September 10, 10 a.m., special music; 11 a.m., Worship service; dinner on the grounds will be held following the service. Guest Speaker: Ray Hearron. Special Music: Bruce Lee. Pastor: Paul Pierson. Welcome Home Baptist Church, Hebert: Homecoming, September 10, 10:30 a.m. Speaker: Tony Robinson. Special Music: Kinetek. Pastor: Jim McKeithen. REVIVAL Calvary Baptist Church, Forest Hill: Revival, September 3-6, Sunday, 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.; Monday-Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. Evangelist: Wayne Jones from Freedom Mission, Logansport LA. Special Music: Josh & Vallery Dixon. Pastor: Wayne … [Read more...]

Man arrested shortly after allegedly trying to break into New Beulah Baptist Church

By Message Staff HAMMOND – Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Deputies arrested a Nebraska man after his unsuccessful attempt of allegedly breaking into New Beulah Baptist Church last weekend. The incident happened Aug. 19 at approximately 2 a.m. when deputies apprehended Kurt Lawson, 51, as he was attempting to flee the scene of the church, according to a news release from the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office. Once deputies responded to an activated burglary alarm at the church, they observed a white Chrysler mini-van leaving the parking lot at a high rate of speed, leaving behind a cloud of dust and debris. When deputies stopped the vehicle, they observed Lawson was bleeding from his head and arm. Lawson was then detained, pending a roadside investigation. He is in the parish jail, charged and booked with reckless operation of a vehicle and burglary of a religious building. One of the church windows was shattered and fresh droplets of blood were left at the scene, according to the news release. No items were believed to have been taken from the church at this time. Evidence was collected and taken into a Louisiana State Police Crime Lab for further examination. “It is so seldom those who break into our churches … [Read more...]

Cenla churches team up to dish out food, Bibles at LSU-A BCM lunch

Area churches teamed up to feed about 70 students at the Louisiana State University-Alexandria Baptist Collegiate Ministry building Monday, Aug.  14. Students from countries such as England, Serbia, Denmark, Grenada, Barbados, Dominica, Brazil and St. Lucia attended the burger cookout. Local mission minded folks, First Baptist Church in Pineville and Faith Baptist Church in Pineville all donated money and time to provide groceries, drinks and other resources to make the lunch possible. Students also received Bibles and Gospel booklets, and connected with BCM Director Jamey Gilliland and other students. If you are interested in helping with mission and outreach projects like this and are in the Central Louisiana area, email Faith Baptist Church Pastor Clark Palmer at clark956@hotmail.com. … [Read more...]