By Baptist Message staff DERIDDER, La. (LBM) – Nearly two weeks after wildfires broke out in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief teams have wrapped up efforts in the area. According to LBDR Strategist Stan Statham, teams prepared 5,509 meals, distributed 50 tracts, had 27 Gospel conversations and saw one individual come to faith in Christ from Aug. 23 to Sept. 2. “This DR deployment demonstrated the true spirit of the Cooperative Program,” Statham told the Baptist Message. “Local churches, the Beauregard Baptist Association and the LBC joined together to meet the needs of evacuees and first responders.” Statham said the Georgia Barnette Louisiana Missions Offering provided half the funds to assist Philadelphia Baptist Church Deville in purchasing the quick response feeding unit trailer that proved to be a great resource in this disaster. “Our first meal was served just four hours after we received the request for help,” Statham said. According to a news release from the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, crews are battling fires in four areas: Tiger Island, Highway 113 near Oakdale, Lions Camp Road and Elizabeth Tiger Island A fire was first reported Aug. 22 in Tiger … [Read more...]
LCU begins faith integration workshops for faculty
By Elizabeth Clarke, LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) – Louisiana Christian University has adopted a new initiative during the 2023-2024 school year to integrate faith into every academic course. “Students coming to LCU expect to learn about faith and theology in the religion classes and in Chapel, but we want to be intentional about our mission and vision here,” said LCU President Rick Brewer. “We want students to know that no matter what their individual callings are professionally, that the Lord expects all Christians to be evangelists. We are preparing graduates and transforming lives because we know transformed people transform culture.” Each syllabus will include references to faith and how it will be tied to the individual disciplines students are studying. Additionally, workshops throughout the year will be held to train faculty how to be purposeful not only with integrating faith into their courses but tying it to the specific learning outcomes and subject matter of their courses. Louisiana Baptist Executive Director Steve Horn commended LCU faculty for their efforts to incorporate faith into the classroom, during the first faculty workshop on Aug. 31. He encouraged them to continue creating a culture of … [Read more...]
‘Miracle from God’ saves Brushy Creek Baptist Church from wildfire
By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer BANCROFT, La. (LBM) – When all hope was fading, the Father in Heaven intervened to protect the Brushy Creek Baptist Church facility from a wildfire that came as close as 50 feet in late August, according to Pastor Mike Streams. “It was a miracle from God,” Streams told the Baptist Message. “About the time the firefighters could no longer control the fire from coming across the road and to the church, the good Lord switched the wind and killed it. It was an amazing thing to see God work through it all. I don’t see how God did it, but he did.” Like much of Beauregard Parish, Brushy Creek's grounds had not received any measurable rain since mid-July. On Aug. 22, the dry conditions in the region were exploited by arson, according to the Louisiana State Department of Agriculture and Forestry, which determined the wildfire was deliberately caused. The blazes began to engulf the area near Brushy Creek in the Bancroft community. Initially, firefighters were able to contain the conflagration. However, on Aug. 25 the flames on the other side of the road nearly jumped across the pavement and threatened to move toward the congregation's building. Streams arrived on the scene that evening … [Read more...]
VIDEO: CENLA Pregnancy Center announces theme for ‘Gift of Life’ banquet
ALEXANDRIA, La. - The CENLA Pregnancy Center has announced the upcoming Gift of Life banquet's theme, "A Royal Homecoming." The largest fundraiser of the year for the pregnancy center, the event will feature Claire Lemoine (former CPC executive director, who will emcee of the event), a testimony by a former CPC client, music by a local band comprising members from area multi-denominational churches and updates about how God has used this ministry to help serve moms in need so they can experience healthy pregnancies. To purchase individual tickets, call 318.314-3061 or visit the event website. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtLipLePvV4&feature=youtu.be … [Read more...]
Scalise confirms he has ‘very treatable’ form of blood cancer
DR fire response continues in Singer/Merryville
By Baptist Message staff SINGER, La. (LBM) – As wildfires continue to rage in Beauregard Parish, Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief teams and churches remain in the area to show Christ’s love to those impacted. According to Gary Hahler, pastor of Shady Grove Baptist Church, Pitkin, and DR coordinator for Beauregard Baptist Association, a Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief feeding team had cooked 450 meals since Wednesday for first responders battling the fires. “Yesterday during supper preparations, the quick response feeding unit (from Philadelphia Baptist Church, Deville) had to evacuate where they were preparing meals at First Baptist Church in Singer because the fire took an unexpected turn,” LBDR Strategist Stan Statham told the Baptist Message. “The quickly moved to the Beauregard Baptist Association office in DeRidder, reopened and fed first responders. Once again, they showed the determination of our volunteers.” Philadelphia Baptist Church is providing a feeding trailer while other churches have stepped up as well to provide feeding team members: Trinity Baptist Church, Oakdale, Glenmora Baptist Church, Shady Grove Baptist Church, Pitkin, Singer Baptist Church, Cherry Grove Baptist Church, Dry Creek, New Life … [Read more...]
Freshmen welcomed to Wildcat family at Convocation
By Elizabeth Clarke, LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) – Louisiana Christian University welcomed 250 freshmen and offered highlights from the most recent school year during its annual convocation ceremony, Aug. 23. LCU President Rick Brewer delivered a message based on Galatians 5:1, the first of many that students will hear from faculty and guest speakers on the book of Galatians throughout chapel services for the 2023-2024 school year. “Christian education is about preparing you for life; we at LCU seek to prepare graduates and transform lives,” Brewer told the students gathered inside Guinn Auditorium. “We believe that transformed people transform communities, transform culture, transform families and others’ lives.” Freshmen attended in their major cohorts with their faculty mentors. During the ceremony, Brewer recognized LCU athletes and others for their many accomplishments last year including: LCU received the Red River Athletic Conference Sportsmanship Award for the second year in a row; Olivia Scott was named recipient of the first Clarence and Rose Fields Emerging Black Leader Scholarship; Josie Holt was crowned Miss LCU and a Top 10 Finalist for Miss Louisiana; Addition of a new Master of … [Read more...]
FBC Harrisonburg ordains Hardie
First Baptist Church, Harrisonburg, held an ordination service Aug. 20 for Youth Minister Justin Hardie. Photographed are the church's ordained deacons, Hardie (front row, second from left) and Louisiana Baptist Executive Director Steve Horn (front row, third from left). The church currently does not have a pastor. … [Read more...]
Preddy’s legacy lives through paintings inside almost 150 church baptisteries
By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer FOREST HILL, La. (LBM) – Almost 150 Baptist churches in Louisiana, five other states and Paraguay may not realize they share a common bond inside their baptistries. Phil Preddy, who died in 1995, spent decades painting murals of scenes depicted in the Bible that were placed inside baptistries of churches in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Paraguay (some of those worship centers have been destroyed by hurricanes, fire, floods or tornadoes). Such was a labor of love for a man who did not charge churches for his work but only wanted to honor the Lord by using his artistic gift. His daughter, Judi Kent, who along with her husband, Tom, served as International Mission Board medical missionaries in Paraguay for 33 years and recently paid a visit to view one of his paintings at Elwood Baptist Church, Forest Hill. His granddaughter also served as an IMB missionary and a great granddaughter is nearing her departure for mission work (their names and locations are with held because of security reasons). “God had given him the talent of art, and he wanted to give back to the Lord in a way that would have a presence in baptisms,” Kent told the … [Read more...]
DR teams headed to fire-stricken Merryville, Singer
By Baptist Message staff MERRYVILLE, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief crews have been deployed to minister to those impacted by wildfires in the Merryville-Singer area. According to LBDR Strategist Stan Statham, a feeding unit will serve lunch at First Baptist Church, Singer, to firefighters and other first responders on Aug. 23 and chaplains will be on hand. Additionally, LBDR will distribute bottled water and Gatorade to those impacted by the fires. Beauregard Baptist Association Mission Strategist Tom Bruce said that Green Oak Baptist Church, Merryville, and Dry Creek Baptist Camp have offered their facilities to shelter evacuees and that FBC Singer will serve as a cooling station for first responders. The fire broke out Aug. 22 near Highway 110 between Merryville and Singer. The Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office issued a mandatory evacuation Wednesday morning for residents on Neale Oil Field Road, where the fire was just one-half mile away Wednesday. Additionally, a voluntary evacuation had been issued for the town of Merryville as crews continue to battle the wildfire. Wildfires have been an issue in Louisiana with the ongoing lack of rainfall. In mid-August, LBDR teams prepared 545 meals at First Baptist … [Read more...]
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