By Philip Timothy, Managing Editor WELSH – In the small Jefferson Davis Parish town of Welsh, a church and its pastor put its faith on display by providing hope where there was little and giving unconditional love when it was needed the most. Battling rising flood waters himself, Pastor Pat Deshotel and members of First Baptist Welsh set aside their own problems to come to the aid of their neighbors. Special attention was given to a pair of widows. Each lost a husband two days before the rain and flooding began, and a day apart from each other. “I couldn’t imagine losing a spouse and then having to face the devastation of the flooding several days later. They didn’t even have time to grieve before the flooding began,” Deshotel said. “I knew both ladies and their husbands well, and I could not let them go this alone.” Joe Bertrand died Aug. 9 after a long battle with cancer leaving behind Judy, his wife of 49 years. Victor Thomas passed away the following day leaving behind his wife Shannon. While Judy Bertrand, a Roman Catholic, had family, Shannon Thomas, who is affiliated with a non-denominational, did not. “Judy had eight feet of water in her home and Shannon’s trailer was surrounded by water,” said … [Read more...]

By Gary D. Myers, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS -- The Caskey Center for Church Excellence at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary will serve as a strategic partner for the 2017 Southern Baptist Convention Pastors' Conference in Phoenix. The partnership will include financial and logistical support. NOBTS President Chuck Kelley announced the partnership to the school's faculty Sept. 7. "The Caskey Center for Church Excellence at NOBTS is delighted to partner with the 2017 SBC Pastors' Conference in Phoenix to highlight the role of the smaller membership church in Southern Baptist life," Kelley said. "We are passionately committed to encouraging all pastors to make excellent biblical exposition in the church and consistent Gospel conversations with those outside the church the building blocks of their ministries." The news follows the election of Dave Miller, pastor of Southern Hills Baptist Church in Sioux City, Iowa, and editor of the SBC Voices blog, as the president of the 2017 Pastors' Conference. Typically a position reserved for larger church pastors, Miller ran on a platform emphasizing expositional preaching and celebrating the contributions of smaller churches in the SBC. Miller's church, which averages … [Read more...]

By Matt Vines, Northwestern Sports Information NATCHITOCHES – Peyton Rector was at peace ending her college soccer career with one year of eligibility remaining. Finishing a psychology degree in three years, the Northwestern State product decided she would go on a worldwide whirlwind of a mission trip, visiting more than a dozen countries in 11 months. Soccer was never far away, but Rector came to a harsh realization that prompted her to reprioritize her life while paving the path back to collegiate soccer. “My faith grew a lot in this process,” Rector explained. “I always considered myself a Christian, but I realized that my real identity was in soccer. “God finally had to completely take (soccer) away from me to realize that. My relationship with God is different now, and I feel that I am able to return to college soccer and share these experiences.” Despite being away from competitive soccer for nearly two years, Rector will start at her old center back position. Rector hopes she can meld with a young but talented team to help the Lady Demons to a Southland Conference Tournament appearance, a place the program hasn’t been since 2008. THE DECISION An active Fellowship of Christian Athletes member at … [Read more...]

By Marilyn Stewart, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS -- New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary President Chuck Kelley posed an important question to students and faculty gathered for convocation Sept. 13. “Where do people hear you talk about Jesus?” he asked. Drawing from Philippians 1:12, Kelley pointed to the apostle Paul as a “master of Gospel conversations” who talked about Jesus “always, and in all places.” Holding up him as the example to follow, Kelley said Paul talked to others about Christ wherever he was—even in prison. “Where do people hear you talk about Jesus?” Kelley asked. “Is it in the grocery store? Is it over coffee or in any other casual settings?” Kelley acknowledged that students came to seminary to learn to preach and expound God’s word, but cautioned them that preaching alone was not enough, adding that a strategy for reaching those outside the church walls was necessary. “How can you mobilize your congregation to talk about Christ in their homes, at work, and with their friends?” Kelley asked. “By letting them see you talk about Jesus everywhere and at any time.” Kelley concluded by saying that his prayer this year is that the seminary would be a place that encourages and celebrates … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – Southern Baptist Convention President Steve Gaines is the keynote speaker for next week’s E4 Preaching Conference. Gaines, who is pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, Tenn., will bring messages during three sessions of the annual conference Sept. 20 at First Baptist Church Pineville. In addition to Gaines’ messages and music by the First Baptist Pineville praise team, the conference will also feature breakout sessions on such topics as Biblical examples of how doctrinal preaching helps in discouraging times, preaching through a crisis, preaching on the Trinity and preaching on social issues: how can I preach on social issues without devolving into the social gospel? Professors from Louisiana College, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary will lead the breakout sessions. Those attending the conference will have the opportunity to win numerous giveaways, valued at a total of $2,500. The North American Mission Board is providing lunch along with giveaway items including numerous books, an iPad mini, an iPad, blue tooth speakers and an Apple TV. Pastors displaced by last month’s flood in southern Louisiana … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ARLINGTON, Va. – Sept. 11, 2001 started like many other days for Rob Maness. A major working in the Pentagon at the time, Maness was at his desk watching footage of an airplane crashing into two World Trade Center towers in New York City when he heard a noise. That’s when he realized this would be a moment that would forever change his life and others around the U.S. Terrorists already had flown a plane into the Twin Towers and another into a field off Interstate 395 south of the Pentagon. Now, confirmation came they had done the same with American Airlines Flight 77 into the nation’s military headquarters. According to the 9-11 Memorial, the attacks killed nearly 3,000 people from 93 nations. The most fatalities occurred at the Twin Towers, as 2,753 people died. Another 184 perished at the Pentagon and 40 were killed in a crash south of there. Like so many others, Maness was dumfounded and wondered what would happen next. After calling his wife to tell her he was okay and to leave the city with their children, Maness joined others at the Pentagon to do what they could to help those injured as well as those trying to flee the facility. After assisting in the rescue of … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, Louisiana College communications PINEVILLE (LCNews) - Louisiana College’s Division of Business will host several leaders of Red River Bank on Sept. 13. Warren Morris - Red River Bank’s assistant vice president - will address students during a plenary session in LC’s Granberry Conference Center at 11 a.m. Bank managers will lecture in several business classes during the day. Morris, a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Alexandria, is best known among long-time fans of LSU baseball. In 1996 He punched a bottom-of-the-ninth, two-run, two-out homer that KO’d Miami 9-8. It’s still the only walk-off homer to win the College World Series. Red River Bank personnel visiting LC classes is another “Industries Day” at the college, where local business leaders share their expertise and methodology with students. Leaders from CLECO and Crest Industries also have assisted LC in this effort to expose students to more than classroom theory. “We want to connect student learning outcomes to practical work skills by bringing practitioners into the classroom,” said Arthur Mazhambe, Chair, LC Business Division. “Our students are privileged to hear the challenges, solutions, and varied issues encountered in … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, Louisiana College communications PINEVILLE - Louisiana College president Rick Brewer drew from John 7:38 as he compared characteristics of a river to the recent Louisiana flood waters during remarks in the college’s first chapel session, Aug. 23. “Floods are chaotic; they are destructive, unpredictable, and harmful. Rivers have purpose. Rivers are controllable. Rivers have direction. Rivers have focused energy,” said Brewer after noting flood-related statistics. Brewer challenged students to “become a river. Focus on your academic life, focus on your spiritual life, and focus on your relational life.” “You show me someone who is acting like a flood, and I will never expect any growth or leadership out of that person,” he said. “But someone that says I want my life to be like a river - and even more so I want to be like John 7:38 - I want that river of life flowing through me from Jesus Christ - you show me that young person and I will show somebody who will be successful in life.” “If you are a Christ follower, your number one purpose while you are here at Louisiana College is to be an amazing, focused college student,” he said. President Brewer noted that LC exists to help students to prepare for … [Read more...]

By Carmen K. Sisson DENHAM SPRINGS (BP) - John Whitehead woke to an unfamiliar sight in mid-August - water had breached his house and was rising fast. The Louisiana State University student panicked for a few minutes, facing tough decisions. What should he save and what should he leave behind? In the end, the answer was simple. Muddy water lapped against his waist as he struggled to heave his black Labrador retriever Rascal into his kayak. Then, he paddled away from everything he and his family owned in Denham Springs near Baton Rouge, knowing they would never see most of it again. His parents, Darrell and Zanie Whitehead, were in Tuscaloosa, Ala., trying to get home. They talked by phone several times as the situation worsened. "I called the fourth time, and he said, 'Quit calling me, I'm trying to save people,'" his father recounted. By the end of the day, John Whitehead and his kayak had carried a number of people to safety, including two elderly women who were clinging to a chain link fence, with water up to their chins. On Labor Day weekend, flood survivors like the Whiteheads in south Louisiana were on the receiving end of an even larger wave of help. LSU's Baptist Collegiate Ministry spearheaded a massive … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, Louisiana College communications PINEVILLE - Louisiana Colleges announced today that new student enrollment is up 14.5 percent compared to the same time last year. The school announced Sept. 7 it has enrolled 255 new freshmen and 61 transfer students for the fall semester. “We are elated to see the reversal of a 5-year trend,” LC President Rick Brewer said. Additionally, the college’s recently launched Certificate in Pastoral Ministry and Missiology tracks of study enrolled 21 new students, but they are not reflected in the 14.5 percent increase. Overall headcount at LC is up 1.5 percent compared to the same time last year - from 1,109 to 1,126, and dormitory occupancy is up by 6.5 percent. “Our spring-to-fall 2016 retention rate of 82 percent, however, is very encouraging,” Brewer said. “An increased enrollment of first-time freshmen, a substantial number of transfer students, and a commendable retention rate indicate that families and students are discovering the outstanding value and excellent academic experience that Louisiana College provides.” Brewer told LCNews there are many reasons for the increases. “We initiated aggressive and strategic marketing strategies, and are experiencing … [Read more...]