By Tyler Johnson, LC communications PINEVILLE (LCNews) - With music, Bible reading and prayer, Louisiana College opened its March 17 chapel service that featured Jeff Ginn, pastor of Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge. Ginn outlined his “Growing Old Without Growing Cold” sermon from Joshua 14, saying one must have a strong start, a patient pace, and a fearless finish. Illustrating his entire sermon, Ginn noted Yuichiro Muira, an 80 year-old Japanese man who in 2013 summited Mt. Everest, saying he had the will to strive for success even after growing old. The sermon text indicates Caleb had a strong start because he followed the Lord whole-heartedly throughout his youth. Moses promised land to Caleb and his descendants because of his heart and loyalty to the Lord and despite his lineage to Esau. Ginn said Caleb is an example for today’s young people who should not let others look down on them because of their age. Caleb’s heritage was not powerful or royal, but God used him because God had a plan for Caleb. “Through humble origins God has blessed my life. Despite being told I wouldn’t amount to anything, God has blessed me,” said Ginn, whose parents were sharecroppers. Sprinters work hard for a short period … [Read more...]

By Philip Timothy, Baptist Message Now, the work begins in earnest. While most rivers have crested or are predicted to crest this week, the floodwaters are starting to fall slowly. Behind those flooding waters, disaster relief crews from numerous Louisiana Southern Baptist churches and state DR teams have gone into overdrive to meet the requests and needs of thousands affected by the spring floods of 2016. A massive cleanup effort is taking place in Louisiana. Churches throughout Louisiana have mobilized to deal with the massive disaster and they are being joined in the field by DR teams from 12 states with three more states expected to join the recovery effort in a week or so. “Mudout is the great need right now,” said Northshore Baptist Association’s Director of Missons Lonnie Wascom said. “There are simply too many jobs. The number of mudout/debris removal requests coming into the LBC/SBC Disaster Relief incident command center in Hammond is overwhelming. “There are far more requests than there are trained volunteers who are available to meet those needs,” said Wascom. Louisiana Disaster Relief leaders are reacting quickly to meet the needs for more trained volunteers by holding training at Rolling Hills … [Read more...]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lebDYDctzhQ All is quiet at the Red River Water's Ben Routh Recreational  Area on March 18. Floodwaters from the river have overtaken this picnic area.   … [Read more...]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJHnFV2Mb_o As more floodwaters move southward, the Red River, as seen in this video taken at the Red River Waterway’s John H. Overton Recreation Facility, is raging through and past lock and dam No. 2. The river continues to rise almost a foot a day and is expected to crest at 40.5 feet in Alexandria on Sunday, March 20. As of Friday at 3 p.m. the river stood at 70.3 feet. The river is expected to crest late Sunday or early Monday. … [Read more...]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBPPo1eY4wQ The waters of the Red River have washed ashore to this home in Pineville, which is across the street from the riverfront. The last time the Red River at Pineville and Alexandria went over the 40 foot mark was in April of 1948 when it rose to 45.2 feet. … [Read more...]

By Philip Timothy, Managing Editor As one north Louisiana flood victim said, while surveying the devastation, this week, “This flooding is our Katrina.” “You know he’s right,” Louisiana Baptist Convention’s Men’s and Ministry Director John Hebert said. “In the number of people affected by Katrina and the flooding it is about the same but the flooding far exceeds Katrina geographically.” The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) estimates more than 11,000 homes have received some type of flood damage. Twenty-six Louisiana parishes have been declared federal disaster areas and additional parishes are expected to be added to this growing list in the days to come. Because of the size of the disaster, Hebert hopes churches respond like they did for Katrina. “Many churches haven’t waited for the water to go down. They have been right there on the front lines since the rains began,” he said. “And we are daily hearing great stories how churches in the affected area have banded together to help each other and to minister to people in their communities. “But a disaster of this magnitude is going to take a herculean effort,” Hebert said, “so I encourage every church, if they are not … [Read more...]

By Brad Welborn, LC sports information director “In Your Name I Pray and Play.” Those seven words are what the people at Coca-Cola Wildcat Field hear over the speakers just before the National Anthem is played and the LC Lady Wildcats softball game gets underway.  Those words spoken by the spiritual leader of the Lady Wildcats, Senior Jade Johnson. Jade is a native of DeRidder, where she attended East Beauregard High School and earned a starting role for the Lady Trojans softball team for coach, and dad, Keith Johnson here eighth grade year.  Like many collegiate and professional athletes Jade started playing softball when she was about 6-years old on Little League teams, then on travel ball teams during the summer, high school and now at Louisiana College. “ My dream when I was in 6th grade was to play college ball at Florida under Tim Walton and go to the Olympics, but of course that’s every 6th grade softball players dream.” Johnson said. After deciding to stay closer to home and getting the opportunity to play at Louisiana College, Jade has become one of the central figures in the Lady Wildcats dugout more so than on the field since injuries have sidelined her for much of her career, even through high school.  First … [Read more...]

https://youtu.be/36Fy-I-YZfQ Floodwaters have topped the levee at Brouillette and parish officials are calling for a mandatory evacuation of residents there while a voluntary evacuation has been ordered for residents in Vick. Farm workers at the Red River Waterway’s Ben Routh Recreation Area in Vick use an excavator to fill large sacks with sand which in turn will be strategically placed in key areas to hold back a rising Red River. The river already is dangerously high and isn’t expected to crest until Wednesday. People are asked to keep the people of Brouillette and Vick in there prayers.   … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer The record flooding in the Monroe-West Monroe area may have postponed the second scheduled Missions Jamboree Conference, also known as M-JAM, but it didn’t stop it from taking place at a later date. Originally scheduled for March 12 at Cedar Crest Baptist Church in West Monroe, M-JAM has been rescheduled for April 30 at the same location. “Jeff Slaughter has agreed to come back and lead worship for us again,” said Jess Archer, children/youth mission education strategist for Louisiana Baptists. “We are also going to have all of our original breakout sessions leaders. M-Jam in West Monroe is an event you won't want to miss.” The deadline to register is April 21 and more information can be found at louisianabaptists.org/mjam. Anyone who previously registered for the March 12 M-JAM and plans on attending the conference on April 30 is asked to email jess.archer@louisianabaptists.org or call 318.448.3402. M-JAMMING IN BATON ROUGE During the first meeting of M-JAM earlier this month, Slaughter said that the biblical hero Samson may have preached 2,000 years ago but his message on how to live out the Christian life still is very much relevant today. Just as Samson was bold … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, LC news High school students of all grades, as well as transfer students, are welcome to attend Preview Day, an extensive overview of campus and academic life at Louisiana College.  A record number of participants have already registered for the March 19 event. Packed with exciting events, Preview Day is great for prospective students who want to learn as much as they can within a weekend setting. Preview Day participants will: tour LC’s beautiful campus; meet with faculty and students to learn more about academics and student life; gain valuable scholarship and financial aid information; receive a free LC T-shirt; and enjoy lunch in the Hattie B. Strother cafeteria. High school seniors who attend Preview Day with the completed LC application will have the application fee waived. All events are free for students and parents.  For more information, call 1-800-487-1906. Other campus events Preview Day will mark the end of a busy week on campus. Today, the LC College Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics is hosting “Science’s Fractured Fairy Tales.” Open to 10th-12th grade high school students, the two-day event that started on Thursday includes challenging games, … [Read more...]