By Message Staff PINEVILLE – Any given life can be transformed through Jesus Christ, even a prisoner serving a life sentence for murder at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary President Chuck Kelley said Monday, June 5. “Never forget you can change your life,” Kelley told those attending the monthly First@First Business Leaders luncheon at First Baptist Church in Pineville. “You can be transformed. A stale marriage can come alive. Kids that are breaking your heart can be made different and new. Jesus Christ can make anybody new. “If you don’t believe me, you come with me to the cell blocks at Angola,” he continued. “And if you just walk around with me, you will pick out our students instantly because you will see something is different about these guys. They will stand out.” Since 1995, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary has held classes at Angola to train inmates who were incarcerated in what was once known as the bloodiest prison in the United States. Now, instead of committing crimes, thousands have accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior and the prison has seen an 85 percent drop in violence. To date, 319 inmates have graduated from the seminary’s extension … [Read more...]

By Philip Timothy, Managing Editor COVINGTON – God never ceases to amaze. In the 17 years Johnny Huffman of Fairhaven Ministry has shipped cargo containers, the Almighty Father has guided and provided him with the means and finances to ship to numerous countries for numerous people in need. Huffman can now add Belarus to that growing list of countries. Opening doors that were once closed, God provided Huffman’s ministry with everything it needed to send a container stuffed with much needed supplies to Belarus. The estimated time of arrival for the container in Grodno is July 5. “We were thankful for the opportunity He gave us to ship there,” Huffman said. “Please pray that only He will be glorified as the supplies are distributed.” With the Belarusian container safely on its way, Huffman then turned his attention to preparing for the shipment of two more containers, both headed for Haiti, in mid-June. Each container is being loaded with 20,000 pounds of beans, 20,000 pounds of rice and 2,000 pounds of cooking oil as well as additional supplies. In the midst of preparations to get the containers loaded and shipped, and unbeknownst to Huffman, he discovered God also wanted him to prepare a special container … [Read more...]

ALEXANDRIA – The CENLA Pregnancy Center soon will have a permanent home. The official signing of the lease took place May 19 for spaces located at 1254 MacArthur Drive in Alexandria, next to the Louisiana Baptist Building. The 5,660-sq.-ft. center should open sometime in the fall, when spiritual ministry will begin as well as medical and educational services. “We are thrilled to finally have a location,” said Brian Gunter, pastor of First Baptist Church in Pollock. “God did more than we ever expected him to do when we first prayed about this idea. It’s been an amazing display of God’s people coming together.” Gunter said the organization has started a formal search process for a full-time executive director to oversee the day-to-day operations of the center. The center also will employ some part-time workers, and, three pro-life physicians have agreed to volunteer their time to work at the facility. Beginning May 26, the center will be open every Friday from noon to 1 p.m. to accept lightly-used items, with the exception of clothing, that pregnant women and their newborns may use. Donations of furniture also can be dropped off then. Please send financial gifts to 2201 Melrose St., Pineville, La., 71360. Résumés … [Read more...]

By Louisiana Right to Life communications BATON ROUGE - Two key pieces of pro-life legislation passed the Louisiana House of Representatives in the past two days and are headed to Gov.  John Bel Edwards for his signature. SB 128, authored by Sen. John Milkovich (D-Shreveport) and carried on the House floor by Rep. Kenny Cox (D-Natchitoches), adds an additional layer of protection to prevent the sale of the dismembered bodies of babies after abortion. The House passed the measure today by a 93-0 vote. The bill was also unanimously approved in the Senate on May 1. On Thursday, June 1, SB 111, authored by Sen. Beth Mizell (R-Franklinton) and carried on the House floor by Rep. Frank Hoffman (R-West Monroe), passed the House by a vote of 93-0.  It previously passed the Senate on May 17 by a vote of 29-6. SB 111, the Screening for Exploitation of Minors Before Abortion Act, enhances parental consent requirements before an abortion to prevent fraudulent identification of adults claiming to be the girl's parents and strengthens screening for coerced abortion, crimes against the child, or sex trafficking during judicial bypass proceedings. "The two main pieces of 2017 Louisiana pro-life legislation sailed through the … [Read more...]

By Message Staff Three Louisiana Baptist associations previously under one director of missions have reorganized under a new structure of leadership. With the May 31 retirement of Alan Knuckles, who served as director of missions for the associations, the Louisiana Baptist Association called Jacob Crawford as its leader and Mt. Olive Baptist Association asked Wayne Jenkins to serve in an interim capacity. Acadia Baptist Association is searching for its director of missions. CRAWFORD DOUBLES UP Crawford will remain as pastor of Life Point Community Church in Mansura, a church he began in 2007. Life Point has since planted locations in Bunkie, Cottonport, Plaucheville and Simmesport. The church, which averages 160 people for Sunday morning worship and baptized 70 individuals in 2016. Additionally, the church also hosts the Mansura Care and Hope Center. A graduate of Louisiana College and Liberty University, Crawford said he is excited about how God will continue to use his association’s churches as they try to reap a great harvest of souls. “I see God doing an amazing thing in our association,” said Crawford, who was voted in as director of missions May 22. “There is so much potential here and God has blessed us … [Read more...]

By Message Staff MANSFIELD – A detour to get home at first seemed like an inconvenience for Thumper Miller, but looking back on the incident, he said God divine intervention probably saved his life during a powerful storm Sunday, May 28. Miller, who is pastor of First Baptist Church in Mansfield, had just finished attending the church’s annual crawfish boil Sunday evening and was headed home when he noticed a number of downed trees and power lines blocking the road leading to his house. Thus, Miller was forced to take a 15-minute detour to reach his destination. Once he arrived, Miller and his wife, Tracy, discovered a fallen tree on their house – which he said could have come down on the structure with him inside had it not been for God’s intervening and delaying his arrival. “There were neighbors standing in the street taking pictures of the tree on our house because they heard the crash from their homes,” said Miller, secretary-treasurer for the Louisiana Baptists 2016 Pastors Conference. “We believe God caused us to take that detour which in turn kept us from being inside our home when the tree fell.” Mansfield was one of many communities affected when violent storms rolled through parts of north and central … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer CROWLEY – Regina Istre received a late Mother’s Day present, but the delay did not lessen her joy. The mother of two was ecstatic May 21 to see her children baptized, and moments later followed them in this step of obedience as well. “It was wonderful to have them walk alongside me on this special day,” said Istre, who gave her heart to Christ and committed to live for Him during a worship service at Berean Baptist Church April 16, the same day as her children. “Knowing that we all will be walking with God in Heaven is something that I can rejoice in. This was a blessing and a great family memory we always will share. “Before we accepted Christ we weren’t whole,” she continued. “But since April 16th when we decided to put Christ in our lives, the change has been evident.” MORE CHANGES Istre and her two children were among nine people baptized in a portable baptistery at the multi-ethnic Berean Baptist Church in Crowley. The special service included a presentation of a certificate of church membership and a shirt containing the church name and logo. “We hold our baptisms outside as a way to reach people who may be passing by and wonder why people are in going underwater … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – As more and more Louisiana Baptists commit to “pray for every home and share Christ with every person” as part of the 2017-2018 Harvest evangelism initiative, a representative with the Billy Graham Evangelism Association told directors of missions and pastors from around the state that as much as prayer plays a role in mass evangelism, planning is critical, too. ORGANIZATION IS KEY “Plan it like an iceberg,” J.W. Hutchens said at the Baptist Mission Center in Pineville, Tuesday, May 16, saying, like an iceberg, so much about a crusade is not readily apparent. “The evangelist is only 10 percent of it,” he emphasized. “Preparation is 50 percent of a crusade. Forty percent is follow-up.” PLANNED PRAYER, TOO But he also underscored the importance of intentional and regular prayer. “If you do not plan on having a great prayer structure for your crusade, don’t have a crusade,” “Prayer God blesses. When you have a crusade, bathe it in prayer.” COOPERATE FOR SUCCESS Hutchens said crusades can range from just a few hundred in attendance to as many as 40,000, and both large- and medium-sized events require a concerted effort of many churches focused on drawing … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message Once again, violent storms have shredded much of north/central Louisiana as powerful storms packing high winds, damaging hail and blinding rain left thousands shaken and more than 75,000 without power. Authorities in Natchitoches, DeSoto, Caddo, Caldwell, Franklin, LaSalle, Winn, Rapides, Catahoula and Concordia parishes reported a number of trees down, homes damaged and people without electricity or phone service. In addition to the swath of destruction, tragically two people were confirmed killed by falling limbs and a one-year old baby was injured when a tree fell on its parent house in the Kickapoo area. Mansfield Police Chief Gary Hobbs gave an indication of the extent of the storm damage. He reported 25 homes had trees on top of them and there were an estimated 70 to 100 trees blocking roads. Hobbs says the police department, fire department and city officials have been working tirelessly to get the roads clear from tree limbs and downed power lines. "We are so blessed here in the city. We did have to extricate an elderly couple, but other than that we really didn’t have any reports of injuries, and to be in such a heavily populated area where it hit, we're absolutely blessed … [Read more...]