By Marilyn Stewart, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS – New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary President Chuck Kelley challenged the school’s 2016 graduates to rely on the certainty of God’s love as they bring hope to a hurting world. “His love will never loosen its grip on you,” Kelley said at the May 14 graduation ceremony. “Whatever you go through, remember the love of God always triumphs in the end.” REMAIN COMMITTED Kelley acknowledged some graduates may have turned down other, more lucrative career paths to answer God’s call to theological education and ministry, and but he said they must focus on “the love of God” that drew them to seminary in the first place. Consider the “unspeakable sacrifice” of Christ, Kelley said, adding that while other religions have altars and sacrifices of incense, grain or even animals, only the Christian faith has “God himself as the sacrifice.” Going further, Kelley said the cross of Christ, the “centerpiece of the New Testament,” won salvation and eternal life for any person who comes seeking forgiveness, regardless of past sin and failure. “That is good news,” Kelley said. “God must love us because of what God did for us.” Continuing, Kelley caused an obvious moment of serious … [Read more...]

By Jerry Love, LBF Communications Louisiana Baptist Foundation Board of Trustees met for their second quarterly meeting of the year at the Louisiana Baptist Building, April 26, 2016, 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 COMMITTEE Jim Prince, trustee from Lafayette, chaired the morning investment committee meeting, which included a report by Barbara Bell, certified public accountant and controller for the Foundation. She reviewed the account holdings for the first quarter of the year, stating assets under management as of March 31, 2016, were $167,840,414.05, an increase of approximately $3.4 million since the end of 2015. Bell explained the increase as a result of strong deposit activity. Investment returns for the major components of the LBF portfolio were reviewed by Jim Prince, who gave the following information as the official data calculated for the end of the quarter March 31, 2016: Short Term Fund:  0.55% Annualized Yield Fixed Income Fund:  2.11% Total Return Equity Fund:  -0.51% Total Return The Group Investment Fund which is comprised of … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell & Philip Timothy, Baptist Message For the past 25 years, Liz Landers has cooked for some of Hollywood’s most notable actors. But since late March, Landers’ kitchen has been at First Baptist Church in Haughton, preparing meals for Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers stationed there. A former resident of Slidell, Landers said her house was severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and that she feels this was a way she could give back to disaster relief volunteers who helped her restore her home. According to Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief leaders, almost every meal served to the hundreds of volunteers working out of First Baptist Haughton has been planned and prepared by Landers. Landers shared with the Louisiana Baptist Message her day during the flood recovery efforts regularly started at 4:30 a.m. and ended around 7:30 p.m. “When the flooding happened I knew I had to do something,” said Landers, a member of Broadmoor Baptist Church in Shreveport. “I can never repay what they did for me after Katrina but the best I can do is try.” Landers, who prepared her last meal at First Baptist Haughton May 12, is among hundreds of volunteers, many from across the United States, who have helped … [Read more...]

ON THE MOVE James Brantley, wife Letha, Bryan is the new pastor at Mt. Hope Baptist Church, Oakdale. Joe Dunn retires as senior pastor from Bethlehem Baptist Church, Albany. Kimberly, husband Wes, Aguillard is the new Children’s Minister at First Baptist Church, Pineville. Jerry Elgin is the interim pastor at Pilgrim Home Baptist Church, Benton. Ryan Perry resigns as youth pastor at Trinity Heights Baptist Church, Shreveport. Bill Stroud is the new pastor at Caddo Prairie Baptist Church, Hosston. Susan, husband Steve, Brown is the new children’s minister at Eastwood Baptist Church, Haughton. Wayne Dubose is the interim pastor at Cook Baptist Church, Ruston John Lary is the new pastor at Calvary Baptist Church, Shreveport. Ryan Sidhom resigned as youth pastor at First Baptist Church, Vivian. IN REMEMBERANCE Nathan Dyer, 82, died May 10. He was employed with the Louisiana Baptist Convention from Jan. 1, 1981 until his retirement on June 30, 1998. He served as an Associate Maintenance Director at Tall Timbers. Please be in prayer for his family. HOMECOMING Faith Baptist Church, Livingston: 26th Homecoming and a 10th anniversary celebration of Trey Cowell as pastor, May 29 at 10:30 a.m. A reception will follow morning … [Read more...]

By Holly Jo Linzay, Regional reporter PINEVILLE – Excitement soared as contenders in the state Bible Drill competition lined up, listened as a Scripture reference was called out, furiously flipped pages in their Bibles and stepped forward ready to respond. “You can see a passion for the Word in these students’ competing, and seeing that fires up my spirit,” said Jennifer Thomas, who was attending the State Tournament for Youth and High School Bible Drill & Speakers’ Tournament for the first time. This year’s event was held April 30 at First Baptist Church in Pineville. The Bible Drill competition is part of a discipleship program designed to assist youth in developing useful skills and knowledge of the Bible. During the tournament, participants compete in tests of their knowledge about the books of the Bible, basic Scripture references, different approaches to the plan of salvation and Scripture references relating to key beliefs and doctrinal convictions. Chloe Whitehead, a ninth-grade student from First Baptist Church in Gonzales, has competed for the last six years in the Bible Drill tournament. “It’s been a fun way to learn the Scripture and to have the answers for different questions that even I have had growing up,” … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer WOODWORTH – Louisiana Baptists are being asked to commit to a massive two-year evangelism initiative that could be the largest joint effort ever by the denomination to share the Gospel. WIN THE STATE During the Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board’s spring meeting at Tall Timbers Conference Center, state leaders announced a Harvest Initiative whose end goal is involve at least 700 churches to pray for and share Christ with every household in Louisiana. “The spiritual impact could be enormous,” said Wayne Jenkins, evangelism and church growth director for Louisiana Baptists. “It could be the thing God could use for a genuine awakening in the life of our state. “If 700 churches would get involved, it would create a greater concern for the lost, create a greater impact in our local churches for wining people for Christ and better discipleship, and create a greater excitement in the life of the church. What would it be like if we could say at the end of 2018 we have prayed for and shared with every dwelling place in Louisiana the Gospel? The thought of what could happen is exciting.” PILOT & PREPARE After spending 2016 planning and enlisting leaders and churches, and using … [Read more...]

BATON ROUGE – Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry announced he would vigorously defend the state and its citizens from unlawful action threatened by the Obama Administration’s recent mandate that public schools allow students to use bathrooms and locker rooms of the opposite sex. In a letter to the leaders of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, Board of Regents, Louisiana High School Athletic Association, Louisiana School Boards Association, Louisiana Community and Technical College System Board, and Office of Juvenile Justice – Landry asserted the administration’s threat to remove the state’s Title IX monies jeopardizes the safety of the student body and creates a public education funding crisis. “Let me be perfectly clear, President Obama and his appointees do not have legal authority to require our children to share locker rooms and bathrooms with children of the opposite sex,” wrote Landry. “The administration’s interpretation of Title IX constitutes an improper attempt to commandeer state-owned property in pursuit of a federal policy that has uniformly been rejected by the federal courts.” “The policy position adopted by the Obama Administration irresponsibly creates an environment in which children may be … [Read more...]

NATCHITOCHES – Danny R. Von Kanel, a member of Trinity Baptist Church in Franklinton, received the Natchitoches Rotary’s “Service Above Self” award at their monthly meeting May 3rd. Over a five-year period, Von Kanel has raised $28,0000. Money raised was used to award a $192 scholarship to students who took one of 12 fine classes offered after school at the L.P. Vaughn School of Fine Arts in Natchitoches, which he directs. This year, he led the school to raise $15,582 through sponsorships and a brick memorial fundraiser. During the award presentation, Von Kanel said he was “totally overwhelmed. What a wonderful way to be honored.” Von Kanel has lived in Franklinton since 2002 and was minister of music at First Baptist Church there from 2002-2005. He also served as minister of music at Memorial Baptist Church in Bogalusa from 2005-2008. He and his wife, Beverly, has two grown sons and six grandchildren. … [Read more...]