A man with severely bowed legs had suffered his whole life from the extreme curvature of his bones. Painfully making his way to a local store, he passed through a plaza where the street evangelism team had set up speakers to share the Gospel with shoppers. Just listening with mild curiosity as he walked by, he suddenly felt complete relief from the constant aching he had always experienced. So he stopped to pay serious attention as the group repeated their message. Afterward, he came forward to share with the Americans through an interpreter how he had been healed, and how he wanted to know more about this Jesus they had been describing, and subsequently he gave his heart to Christ. Trying to explain through the interpreter what Jesus meant to him, he said “Jesus is a drugstore” who healed his body and his soul. Eddie Spry Jerusalem Baptist Church Mocksville, North Carolina … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil (LBM) – Louisiana Baptists returning from Belo Horizonte, Brazil, are sharing testimonies of widespread revival in churches, communities, prisons and schools, following an 8-day schedule of crusades, medical ministries and other outreach efforts in this South American country. Wayne Jenkins, director of evangelism and church growth for the Louisiana Baptist Convention, said there were a recorded 3,202 salvation decisions resulting from events conducted July 10-17, bookended by overnight flights between the two continents, July 8-9 and 18-19. “God did exceedingly above all that we could think or ask,” Jenkins said. “Even working for the first time with this Brazilian association, the way was smooth in constructing three church buildings in five business days and reaching the number of people who came to know Christ, especially in some difficult areas. “Moreover, the Gospel was received by every age group and social class,” he added. “On top of that,” Jenkins offered, “it is remarkable to think that Burl Cain was given favor, in such a short amount of time, in lining up the three entities in the country needed to get permission to replicate in a Brazilian federal … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Edit0r BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil (LBM) – Burl Cain is thankful for how God is directing his path. Cain, who recently retired after serving 21 years as warden of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, told the Baptist Message a plan is unfolding for his life that he did not anticipate when he left his career in state corrections – especially after returning from his visit to Brazil. “Wayne Jenkins asked me whether I had the passion to duplicate in Brazil what we were able to do at Angola with the seminary program we established there through New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary,” Cain said. “I went with a lot of uncertainty about what I might accomplish with only a few contacts and just a little bit of time to be in the country,” he said. “I was astonished how fast things developed after I arrived.” Cain said he was overwhelmed how God arranged for him to meet with the key authorities needed to move forward with a proposal to establish a four-year degree program in a Brazilian federal prison. He said he was able to make a presentation to the director general of prisons, the warden of the correctional facility, the director of education programs for prisons and leaders of the Brazilian … [Read more...]

By staff, First Baptist Chalmette “I am typing this email with my eyes.” The writer of the email was Wesley Harville, a disabled pastor in Arkansas afflicted with ALS.  The email was sent to John Dee Jeffries, long-term pastor of First Baptist Church in Chalmette, who recently launched a Christian book publishing house. Jeffries shared that what began as a hobby quickly became a business then a ministry – Published By Parables, a full-service Christian publishing house that is printing Christian books for distribution around the world – for free. “I have no use of my legs, my lung muscles are weak which greatly limits my speaking abilities and my arms and hands are almost useless. I cannot use a standard keyboard or phone. I am typing this with eye recognition technology. Yes sir, I am typing with my eyes.” “Physically, Wesley may be knocked down,” related Jeffries, “but he’s standing up on the inside.” Published By Parables is about to publish the first of a series of three books for Harville. All three were written with eye recognition technology. “I asked God to extend and expand my ministry,” related Jeffries, “and He did.” Published By Parables has published Christian books and books about Jesus for a … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer MELDER – Jason Townley wakes up each Sunday with anxious anticipation about how God will move within the congregation of Pine Ridge Baptist Church. Since January Townley has baptized more than 70 people of all ages and walks of life, and all wanting a new life. “They basically are telling us we are tired of our way, we want a new way and that’s following Jesus,” Townley said. “It truly is amazing. Through the power of prayer and preaching the truth of the Word of God we have seen the power of the Holy Spirit time after time draw people to Himself. We never want it to end and believe that it doesn’t have to end. “What’s amazing to us is that every Sunday God is bringing new people to Pine Ridge Baptist Church and we are seeing many of them come to Jesus,” he said. “People are looking for a place where the presence of God is and that’s what we pray for at Pine Ridge Baptist Church.” ALL TO JESUS  Changing lives at Pine Ridge Baptist Church ‘one family at a time’ is what Kloee Martin and her husband Brett experienced. During their first year of marriage they were on the verge of divorce. However, hearing God’s Word as Townley counseled them one on one, both Kloee and … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA – Horseshoe Drive Baptist Church commemorated the dedication of its new worship center June 30, 1968, with a congregational photo, and interim Pastor Robert Daniel said he hopes for a reenactment Aug. 21 as members celebrate a “last service” in the recently renewed and updated facilities before re-launching as a revitalized congregation Sept. 18. “This will be our final service as ‘Horseshoe Drive Baptist Church’ and we’re going to treat it as a homecoming,” said Daniel, director of missions for Central Louisiana Baptist Association. “We’re inviting past members and leaders to come and celebrate our legacy, but also to rejoice in the future God is unfolding for us as a reborn family of faith.” He added that it is important to recognize all the impact the congregation has had as salt and light in Alexandria before it is reborn as a multi-site campus of Philadelphia Baptist Church in Deville. “We’ll have a time of food and fellowship Sunday morning in place of Bible study classes,” he explained. “Worship services will include a message, but also a time to recognize pastors and long-time members who have contributed to this ministry since Nov. 16, 1958.” The ‘final service” will … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message ANGOLA – The deadline is quickly approaching to submit forms necessary to participate in the annual Louisiana Baptist Angola Prison Revival. Set for Sept. 16-17 on the grounds of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, the annual event will feature revival services and one-on-one Gospel presentations with inmates throughout the weekend. The Angola revival has taken place since 1995, the year New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary held its first class at the prison extension center. The first day of the revival begins at 5 p.m. with a time of worship and ends around 8 p.m. that evening. The revival continues the following day at 9:30 a.m., with an opportunity to visit one-on-one with inmates, before ending at 2 p.m. Only males are eligible to participate in the revival. Because of a lack of housing, the prison is not offering housing on campus. Though meals are not provided, participants may bring snack items to enjoy in their vehicles. “Louisiana Baptists’ Angola Prison Revival provides our volunteers a way to touch lives who quickly lose contact with the outside world,” said Keith Manuel, evangelism associate for Louisiana Baptists. “The average inmate has little contact with … [Read more...]

By Holly Jo Linzay, Regional Reporter ALEXANDRIA – Students of the Louisiana Baptist All-State Youth Choir spent the early part of this summer worshipping through song, sharing testimonies and reaching out to others. Seventy-eight youth, representing 38 churches throughout the state, participated in a June trip to Tennessee accompanied by 10 adult sponsors. The choir sang praises to God and presented personal testimonies at youth detention centers, public parks, shelters, rescue missions, nursing homes, shopping malls and a few unexpected places. Chris Turner, minister of music at First Baptist Church in Pineville, headed up the tour this year. “The youth choir got to sing and help minister with a church in downtown Nashville that reaches out to the homeless under a bridge. It was a moving experience,” Turner said. He has participated in the choir tour for three years as a sponsor, but this year he oversaw the 10-day trip for Herb Armentrout, the LBC youth music consultant out of Broadmoor Baptist Church in Shreveport, who was unable to travel because of scheduled surgery. The group made quite an impact in Tennessee, Turner said. “This was not just a choir tour. The youth were given the opportunity to do … [Read more...]

By Jerry Love, LBF Communications ALEXANDRIA -- The Louisiana Baptist Foundation Board of Trustees met at the Louisiana Baptist Building July 26 for their third quarterly meeting of the year with the morning dedicated to meetings by the investment committee and operating committee and the afternoon spent in general session by the entire body to consider committee reports and other business. INVESTMENT UPDATES Lafayette’s Jim Prince, who chaired the morning meeting of the Investment Committee, called on Lee Morris of Graystone Consulting, the LBF’s investment consultant, to give the quarter’s update on the investment managers and market conditions. Morris noted the following market conditions as considerations for the context of his report: -- US domestic equity market was the only positive performer for the past 12 months.  All others around the world were negative. -- Entering 2016 analyst expectations were interest rates would rise and fixed income portfolios would struggle as a result.  The opposite has happened.  Rates have dropped and the fixed portfolios have delivered excellent returns. -- After six years of underperformance versus developed markets, emerging markets are starting to deliver the best … [Read more...]