By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer COVINGTON – Jay Johnston will be nominated for the office of first vice president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention during the 2017 LBC Annual Meeting. Tom Harrison, executive pastor of Broadmoor Baptist Church in Shreveport, plans to nominate Johnston for the position. Johnston, who is associate pastor of First Baptist Church in Covington, is the only announced candidate for the office. “He has been a convention leader who has effectively served Louisiana Baptists and Southern Baptists,” Harrison said in an e-mail to the Baptist Message. “He is a man of prayer, recently serving as chairman of the Louisiana Governor Prayer Breakfast and as the volunteer state coordinator for the National Day of Prayer. “Jay is a man of integrity, a leader, caring minister, master of resources and an outstanding Christian man,” Harrison wrote. Johnston said, if elected, he would work with LBC leaders to advance Louisiana Baptists’ campaign to “pray for every home and share Christ with every person” in the state. “I am grateful for the vision of current LBC leaders related to the Harvest emphasis,” Johnston said. “The emphasis reveals the heart our leaders have for people without Jesus … [Read more...]

ON THE MOVE Scottie Gray is the new pastor at New Hope Baptist Church, Monroe. John Walker is the new associate pastor/administrator at Brookwood Baptist Church, Shreveport. Tony, wife Nikki, Campanale has resigned as pastor at Greenacres Baptist Church, Monroe to become pastor at First Baptist Church, Oak Grove. Cecil Marr is the new pastor at North Shreve Baptist Church, Shreveport. Danny Taylor resigned as pastor at Belle Park Baptist Church, Haughton. Donny Bradley resigned as pastor at Mansfield Road Baptist Church, Keithville. Lee, wife Tina, Whitley is the new pastor at Tom Hebert Road Baptist Church, Lake Charles. Chad Mack is the new pastor at Crosspoint Church, Galliano. Nathan Stanford is the new pastor at First Baptist Church, Grand Isle. Mike Davis is the new pastor at Trinity Baptist Church, Mathews. HOMECOMING First Baptist Church, Hornbeck: 29th Annual Homecoming, Aug. 20, 11 a.m. Dinner on the grounds will follow worship services. Special Music: First Hornbeck choir. Pastor: Jack Bell. Mount Vernon Baptist Church, West Monroe: 180th Anniversay, August 20, Sunday school, 9 a.m. Worship Service, 10:15 a.m. A pot luck lunch will follow the service. Speaker: Wayne Sheppard. … [Read more...]

By Gary D. Myers, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary communications NEW ORLEANS (BP) - For churches with worship bands, finding and keeping enough trained musicians to play all the instruments can be a struggle, said Darryl Ferrington, a music professor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. But he's found the use of iPads and apps to be a way to fill in the gaps. Ferrington spent the past year studying the use of iPads as instruments for his sabbatical project. What he found should serve as an encouragement to churches that struggle to find musicians to lead corporate worship. Ferrington published his research findings at www.appsinworship.com, along with keyboard, guitar, bass, and drum app evaluations, and a detailed guide for implementing the concept in a local church. Often presented as a novelty, numerous iPad performances have gone viral on social media in recent years. After seeing several novelty performances, Ferrington wondered if app-based instruments could help churches improve their Sunday morning corporate worship. "Mainly, the idea is geared toward small churches who perhaps have a good guitar player and a good keyboard player, but don't have a bass player or a drummer," Ferrington said. … [Read more...]

By Jared Clark, LC News PINEVILLE (LCNews) - Louisiana College celebrates the success of its inaugural Bridge program with a 94 percent pass rate. “We had 27 students this summer and we held them to a high standard,” said Lillian Purdy, director of the month-long remediation that met June 26 - July 27. The Bridge program -- an academic initiative providing potential freshmen the assistance needed to help meet enrollment requirements -- includes remedial English and math, and instruction in test-taking and study skills. Students were eager to participate and to excel, Purdy said, noting that some were as much as 30 minutes early to class, and almost all completed the program with perfect attendance. “We have handed these students the tools for success in college,” Purdy added. English professor Jeannie Gauthier was “pleasantly surprised to find this group of young men and women with such a positive attitude and strong work ethic.” “Thank you so much for helping me get my son on track with school,” wrote one Bridge student’s parent in a text message to LC’s Athletics Director Reni Mason. “I’m so glad he chose you and LC because everyone there seems to care for my child like I do, and that makes me feel amazing … [Read more...]

By Message Staff ALEXANDRIA- Area principals and teachers took a break Tuesday, Aug. 1, from preparations for the upcoming school year to learn how they can help grow the Central Louisiana Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Throughout the course of the hour-long meeting, they heard from FCA board members, principals and school leaders about what they offer, answers to any legal concerns and how to form a chapter. “We wanted to do this before school starts first of all to thank the principals for their leadership and let them know how FCA can have an impact on campus,” said Central Louisiana FCA board chairman Warren Morris. “It's not just for athletes. It’s for all students. “We want to have a thriving Fellowship of Christian Athletes huddle on each campus,” said Morris, a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Alexandria and former LSU baseball standout. “We’re excited about having that start right now with the principals.” Board member Sheila Johnson added that support for existing chapters has helped reach thousands of students since the organization was formed 60 years ago. “We felt like this was a great time to get all the principals together to lift them up and pray for them as they begin a new school year,” … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, LCNews PINEVILLE (LCNews) - For the third year running, Louisiana College faculty will study and discuss another book that underscores the importance of integrating faith and learning. Evangelical author Mark Noll’s book “Jesus Christ and the Life of the Mind” follows the previous two: “Conceiving the Christian College” by Duane Litfin and “Renewing Minds” by David Dockery. Once a month, faculty gather in small, interdisciplinary groups to discuss the book and gather information and inspiration regarding the integration of the Christian faith into the liberal arts courses they teach. “We are first grateful for our president, Dr. Rick Brewer, who initiated the study groups when he arrived in 2015,” said Philip Caples, vice president for the Integration of Faith and Learning. “The books and subsequent discussions have enriched our pedagogy and informed our content as we teach from a Christian worldview.” Caples believes Noll’s book is another building block for LC’s faculty. Noll observes: ... it has become conventional to think that belief in the Christian story opposes serious commitment to intellectual explorations of the world. There are no good reasons for this opinion. It rests on … [Read more...]

PINEVILLE (LCNews) - Louisiana College’s annual faculty/staff retreat welcomes Linda Karges-Bone Aug. 14, making this the third time LC has tapped the best-selling author’s expertise in higher education. Karges-Bone’s address it is titled, “Three Strikes and You’re In: The Truth about Meeting the Needs of First-Generation College Students Who Live in Poverty.” The Aug. 14 session is from 9:45 to 11:00 a.m. in the Georgia Barnette Conference Center on the grounds of the Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center, located at 10218 Hwy. 165 South, Forest Hill. Drawing from her best-selling book, “Rich Brain, Poor Brain: Bridging Social and Synaptic Gaps in Schools,” Karges-Bone said the training session “is designed to both motivate and inform faculty and staff on brain-friendly strategies to increase retention and success of all students,” particularly those from low-income backgrounds. “The world says these students are ‘at risk.’ We say they are a gift,” she added. Karges-Bone says there is a “distinct Biblical mandate guiding this work,” as she cites Jeremiah 29:11, which states: “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer TIOGA/PONCHATOULA – For three jam-packed, fun-filled weeks, 40 Korean children experienced a mixture of Louisiana hospitality, culture and outdoor fun during the 12th annual Camp USA. It made for a memorable time. However, the biggest takeaway for 15 of these kids was their life-altering decision to follow Jesus Christ. “Every year we have some decisions from the Korean children and it blesses my heart, whether we have a few or many,” said Tim Hisaw, pastor of Tioga First Baptist Church. “Seeing so many children come to Christ is one of the blessings we get to experience with Camp USA. Clearly, the camp fulfills the Great Commission and allows our church members to participate in an international mission trip without leaving their own backyard.” A partnership of REACH Missions and the Korea Baptist Church Development Board, the camp involved more than 20 churches in Big Creek, Central and North Rapides associations and First Baptist Church in Ponchatoula. During their first week, the children took part in Vacation Bible School at Tioga First Baptist Church while also participating in activities at other area churches. After their time in Central Louisiana, the campers … [Read more...]

By Louisiana Family Forum BATON ROUGE — Congressman and Majority Whip of the U.S. House Steve Scalise is the recipient of the Louisiana Family Forum's Gladiator Award, the organization announced Friday, Aug. 4. Given out during its annual Legislative Awards Gala Sept. 21, the award is presented to the recipient who the organization finds as committed to the principles of life, liberty and limited government. “Honoring Steve Scalise as the Gladiator for 2017 is an easy choice given his integrity, his dedication to Louisiana, and his outstanding leadership,” said Louisiana Family Forum President Gene Mills. “Steve is known as the go-to guy who gets things done and who maintains respect for his colleagues even amid the D.C. division and strife.” Scalise has a long history of fighting for conservative principles and a lifetime of achievement in working for Louisiana families, according to the Louisiana Family Forum. During his twelve years in the Louisiana legislature, he was a champion for the sanctity of life and traditional marriage. In 2004, he authored the constitutional "marriage amendment," defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman. In the years following Hurricane Katrina, he led relief efforts on … [Read more...]