By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer SHREVEPORT – Steve Parr said he is concerned about a growing problem in the church today – a smaller percentage of young adults getting and staying actively involved. Once active in church as teens, the number of young adults no longer plugged in after permanently leaving the confines of home is just 1 in 3. But despite the alarming news, Parr believes he has found a solution to help turn around the statistic in a positive way. Parr shared during Saturday’s Louisiana Baptist Convention ReGroup conference the findings from a survey he conducted in 2015 with fellow Georgia Baptist Convention staff member Tom Crites that identifies why some still remain active in the church into adulthood. Among those reasons are the mother and father of children demonstrate priorities by serving in the church, love the pastor and have a high view of scripture. Parr encouraged those in attendance to become active in an area of service at the church, even if it means losing a member of one’s own Bible study to another ministry. “I believe one of the greatest marks of your effectiveness is not how many are attending your Bible study group but how many you have released to serve in other areas,” … [Read more...]

By Message Staff Five months after historic flash flooding sent nearly three feet of water inside the sanctuary and parsonage of Mt. Nebo Baptist Church in Roseland, the facility has once again been hit by rising floodwaters. At least two feet of water has reached inside the building, according to Cindy Camardelle, the wife of Pastor Randel Camardelle. And the National Weather Service says southeast Louisiana will continue to be pounded by a low pressure system causing additional flooding. Until the latest round of flooding, repairs to the church from the March flooding had progressed and were nearly 75 percent complete. The congregation was two to three weeks away from worshiping in its sanctuary once again. Now, the congregation will have to wait for an undetermined amount of time for their long anticipated return, their spirit will not be broken by more floodwaters. "Pray for God's mercy, for our congregation to not be discouraged and for the Church as a whole to be revived," Camardelle said. Meanwhile, the system had brought flooding to Iberia Parish were two inches of water had gotten into fellowship hall of Highland Baptist Church, New Iberia. Pastor David Denton said they are waiting until the waters … [Read more...]

By Brad Welborn, Louisiana College Sports Information PINEVILLE – Reni Mason and Patrece Carter have been named associate athletics directors according to a news release by the Louisiana College Athletic Department. Louisiana College President Rick Brewer and Athletics Director Dennis Dunn made the announcement Aug. 4 and their new positions become effective immediately. Mason has been named the Associate Athletic Director for External Relations and Carter will serve as the Associate Athletic Director for Operations. Both also will continue to lead their respective basketball programs. "Coach Carter and Coach Mason bring to these expanded assignments a deep commitment to the college's mission and vision, accompanied by their unique gifts and experiences, which they will use to advance LC's athletic program,” said Brewer. “Expanding LC's NCAA Division III programs from 13 to 18 sports this year amplifies the need for these additional administrative/coaching positions at the college." Mason will be the primary contact for the athletic department in the community. He will assist Brewer and Dunn in the planning and overseeing of marketing strategies for the individual programs and the department as a whole, as well … [Read more...]

The ladies from my home church made these aprons for our cooking team to give away to the women we worked with during our ministry in Brazil. Each is embroidered with Psalm 34:8a in Portuguese: “Taste and know that the Lord is good.” We served gumbo meals to reach influential members of each of the communities – people who were lost and resisted going to church but who were enticed by a dinner invitation to enjoy “a Louisiana specialty cooked by Americans.” June Charrier Washington Baptist Church Opelousas, Louisiana … [Read more...]

Sunday, July 17, our street evangelism team worked with a local homeless ministry in Belo Horizonte. During our ministry outreach, we shared the Gospel with a homeless couple and they accepted Christ. Later, we found out the pastor in charge of this ministry was able to find a home for them in another city so their baby no longer had to sleep on the streets. I’ll never forget this particular Sunday morning – worshiping untraditionally among homeless people while we shared the love of Christ! Glory to God!! Debbie Planchard New Zion Baptist Church Folsom, Louisiana … [Read more...]

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...]