Baton Rouge – The Louisiana Family Forum has released the winner of its contest to name the state’s longest married couple. For the third year in a row, Lawrence and Varrie Player have received the honor. Louisiana Family Forum honored the Players during a reception at their home in Benton. The organization also honored Will Henry and Virginia Teasley of Bryceland as the runner-up. “We pause for a moment today to honor the Top 10 Longest Married Couples in our state,” Gene Mills, President of LFF, said in a news release. “Each have blessed this state with the heritage of long life and good health and they have built a legacy of faith and family. Incredibly, they remind us that true love takes time to fully mature! “Today we share their story of faithfulness to encourage a new generation that ‘happily married’ and ‘for a lifetime’ really do go together. LFF’s message is clear: Marriage can be a beautiful experience that endures for a lifetime!” Louisiana Family Forum dedicated the poem ‘An Ode to Old Love’ in the Players’ honor: Is there anything more beautiful in life than a young couple clasped hands, pure hearts on the path to marriage? Can there be anything more beautiful than young love? And the answer is … [Read more...]

By Message Staff NEW ORLEANS - Preaching for the first time since a Feb. 7 tornado destroyed his church building, Jeffery Friend said that God promises that when trouble comes, trusting in Christ is essential for being a shining light. "When trouble comes and since trouble has come, I ask you to do what Job did in chapter 13," said Friend from the pulpit at Gentilly Baptist Church. "I ask you to trust in the Lord." An EF3 tornado - the strongest ever recorded in New Orleans - destroyed Suburban Baptist Church, along with severely damaging homes of many of its members, including Friend and his wife, Stephanie. While Friend is unsure of when his congregation might gather again in its damaged building, he knows the church, damaged during Katrina and managed to come back, can do so again. For Friend knows what seems impossible to man is more than doable for God - giving hope to the hopeless -- which also happens to be the mission statement of Suburban Baptist Church. Until the church is rebuilt, they will continue to meet at Gentilly Baptist Church. "I'm going to have to give up my salary until we get healthy enough to function financially," Friend told the Baptist Message Sunday evening. "When you don't have a … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, Louisiana College Communications PINEVILLE -- Louisiana College trustees unanimously passed and signed a resolution supporting the principles noted in the “Preserve Freedom, Reject Coercion” document on Jan. 31, 2017. LC President Rick Brewer was among the 75 initial signatories of the the “Preserve Freedom, Reject Coercion” document, which may be viewed here. The trustees’ resolution reads as follows: BE IT RESOLVED, that the Louisiana College Board of Trustees approves the Preserve Freedom, Reject Coercion document which affirms Americans’ freedom to peacefully live according to their beliefs and opposes government coercion or censorship of fellow citizens who have different views, and do hereby demonstrate public support to this initiative by signature on this day, January 31st, 2017. The “Preserve Freedom, Reject Coercion” document recognizes the continuing erosion of religious liberty of various organizations and businesses as sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) are added as protected classifications via federal, state, and local legislation. “Out country was founded upon religious liberty,” said Dr. Rick Brewer, president of LC. “While SOGI laws strive for inclusivity, they have … [Read more...]

By Philip Timothy, Message Managing Editor BATON ROUGE -- An 86-person committee tasked with developing and writing new science standards for students from kindergarten through 12th grade in Louisiana is stirring controversy ahead of a February meeting in New Orleans. Wade Warren, professor of biology at Louisiana College and a member of the committee, states there has been complete disregard for the science-based information he has provided and total rejection of the common-sense modifications he has proposed to the standards being written. In one suggestion, he simply asked the committee to add the words "sudden appearance" in the statement on "patterns of the fossil record" and "change in life forms throughout the history of life on Earth." But they dismissed this common observation about the fossil record acknowledged by every scientific authority. Louisiana College's Wade Warren is a professor of biology at the school.The group, which met for the first time Aug. 17-18 in Baton Rouge, has held meetings around the state purportedly to gather input for the review of the standards, written in 1997, making them the third oldest in the nation. The committee is scheduled to make its recommendations to the state … [Read more...]

By Message Staff For those wanting to help those affected by the destruction left behind by several tornadoes in New Orleans and the Northshore Tuesday, Feb. 7, opportunities are available to give money, undergo disaster relief training and participate in clean-up efforts. The Louisiana Baptists missions services team has established a website to help pay for disaster relief operations. “It looks like there about 2000 homes affected in New Orleans and an undetermined number on the North Shore,” said John Hebert, missions and ministry director for Louisiana Baptists. “We have one church that is a total loss and is uninsured. Monies we receive will go to help that church rebuild and offset the cost of our deployment.” New Orleans Baptist Association also has two funds in which to donate – one for Suburban Baptist Church which was heavily damaged by the storm, along with its pastor Jeffery Friend; and another for disaster relief efforts. Individuals can donate at the association's website. Volunteers interested in working can meet at Gentilly Baptist Church, 5141 Franklin Ave. in New Orleans, at 9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 10 and Saturday, Feb. 11, or at Suburban Baptist Church, 10501 Chef Menteur Hwy. in New Orleans, at 10 … [Read more...]

By Message Staff NEW ORLEANS - Just hours after multiple tornadoes caused damage in the southeastern part of the state Tuesday, Feb. 7, Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief teams were already springing into action. Chaplains and assessors gathered Wednesday morning at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary to begin assessing the needs for those affected by the tornado. Louisiana Baptists Director of Missions and Ministry John Hebert said it is hope to begin making assignments very soon in the New Orleans area. “Right now, our teams are in need of prayer,” Hebert said. “We need to not only lift them up in prayer but also those homeowners and others affected by this storm. As more details are released about the needs, we will respond accordingly and with Christ-like compassion.” Eastern Louisiana Baptist Association’s chainsaw team spent most of Tuesday afternoon removing trees that had fallen onto homes in Watson, according to Howard Turner, a member of the team. They plan to assess more homes Wednesday and continue working on damaged properties through Friday or Saturday. “With the way some of the trees fell onto homes, it’s a miracle we didn’t have several people killed,” Turner said. “The homeowners we visited with … [Read more...]

By Marilyn Stewart, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Public Relations NEW ORLEANS – The harrowing sound of a freight train sent pastor Jeffery Friend and wife Stephanie running for cover Feb. 7 when an EF3 tornado touched down in New Orleans East  about three miles from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary campus. Stephanie Friend was preparing to leave the house when she opened the front door, not realizing that the storm had come up so quickly and was upon them. “As soon as I shut the door, there it was,” Friend said. Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief chaplains, workers, and assessors are on-site assessing damage to the Friends’ home, the three-building church campus, and a pastorium occupied by Nikos Elzy, a NOBTS student and Suburban Baptist Church associate pastor, with his wife and two children. Current estimates put the number of homes damaged at 250, with 31 injured. No fatalities have been reported. At NOBTS, chapel services began with a cautious note – the National Weather Service had issued a number of tornado watches for the area. The sky darkened as chapel attendees entered the chapel and seminary president Chuck Kelley started the service with an announcement about the potential … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, Louisiana College communications Three Louisiana College students each indicated their desire to become Christ followers at the conclusion of LC’s Feb. 7 chapel service. Louisiana Baptist Convention Evangelism Associate Keith Manuel challenged and encouraged students when preaching from Joshua 24:14-15 the chapel sermon titled “Choices.” Manuel, also an adjunct professor for LC, related several tough choices he made throughout his life and told students, “You are making ‘decisions on steroids’ right now.” Despite life’s obstacles, Manuel advised students: “Don’t you ever listen to anyone who tells you to quit. It’s a choice to be an #AndThenSome student.” “And then some” evolved into a motto at LC as well as a popular Twitter hashtag, locally, after LC President Rick Brewer mentioned the phrase in a December 2015 commencement message. “Do hard work - and then some,” Brewer said. God calls no one to mediocrity, Manuel said. Noting God's protection and promises, Manuel encouraged students to “consider the past to help make the right decisions today” and to consider the future to see where God might lead. “Your present condition doesn’t have to be your future,” said Manuel, who concluded the … [Read more...]

By Message Staff NEW ORLEANS – A tornado that touched down in the eastern part of New Orleans Tuesday, Feb. 7, has destroyed Suburban Baptist Church. One of several tornadoes to strike cities in Louisiana, the tornado destroyed the Louisiana Baptist church. Stephanie Friend told the Baptist Message she and her husband, Suburban Pastor Jeffery Friend, were not injured, though their home was heavily damaged. “Praising God for lives spared!!,” Friend posted on her Facebook page. “Devastated at the loss of our church and our home!! Always trusting the one who holds my heart!! Thank you Jesus for your grace and mercy!!!” New Orleans Baptist Association said they are providing a room for the Friends at Providence House, the hotel operated by New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. “Please join us in prayer for churches and families affected by the severe weather in our region today,” the association said in an e-mail. “Early reports tell of severe damage to at least one church, Suburban Baptist, and several homes in New Orleans East.  As soon as we have more information regarding damages and the response of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, we will communicate requests, as well as material, ministerial, and volunteer … [Read more...]

PINEVILLE – God cares for you, even in the small things of life, Reggie Bridges said during the Feb. 2 chapel service at Louisiana College. Basing his message off the miracle of the floating axe head in 2 Kings 6, Bridges shared with students how God called him from a career in secular education into the ministry. “God cares about you as a student,” said Bridges, vice-chairman of the LC trustees and pastor of Temple Baptist Church in Ruston. “He cares about what you're going thru right now.” All upcoming chapel services, along with a schedule of speakers, can be viewed here. … [Read more...]