By Megan Strain, Published on marriageroots.com A new year brings a sigh of relief for some and a bit of wistfulness for others. Regardless of how you left 2015, a look ahead at 2016 can bring with it a lot of ideas and plans, especially spiritual ones. For many Christians, the do-over of a new year also becomes a bit of a do-over for diving deeper into Scripture, prayer, and other spiritual disciplines like memorizing verses. If Scripture memory is something you are hoping to work on in 2016, check out how a group of families have been working through it together. We talked to Megan Strain about how she and 2 other friends decided to begin a Scripture Memory Club for their families and how they’ve seen the Lord use it to grow them individually, as couples, as families, and as friends. Tell us about your family Scripture Memory Club. Why did you start it, and how does it work? Megan: This past summer our family spent a week at Pine Cove Family Camp in Tyler, Texas (an experience I highly recommend!), and it was here this idea was born. During the weekly Talent Show, a young boy from another family recited most, if not all of Romans 12. It was very impressive and very convicting. I realized I was not doing a great job … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptists can help sway state legislators’ choice of a new leader. On Monday, January 11, the Louisiana House of Representatives will select a new Speaker and the outcome will have a dramatic impact on the influence of Christian vision and values in the public policy adopted by the state legislature. Among other duties, the Speaker assigns members to committees, whether proposed legislation will be handled by a hostile or favorable committee, and determines which bills will even be considered -- essentially the Speaker sets the legislative process and so largely decides which proposed policies succeed or fail. According to pro-family and pro-life advocacy groups, the two leading candidates have dramatically different records on issues relating to the traditional family and the rights of the unborn. Consequently, the new Speaker largely will influence the outcomes of moral and social concerns pursued by Louisiana Baptists. The Louisiana Family Forum reports Rep. Cameron Henry has a record of supporting traditional family values 93 percent of the time and the Louisiana Right to Life Federation gives him a score of 100 percent on pro-life issues. Meanwhile, Rep. Walt Leger III earned a score of 44 percent from … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message VIDALIA – The cities of Vidalia and Natchez know flooding is coming but they are asking God to spare them any widespread damage. The two communities will gather Jan. 10 at 3 p.m. for community prayer at the Vidalia Conference and Convention Center. Everyone is invited, including citizens, businesses and churches from Concordia, Catahoula and Tensas parishes as well as Natchez, Adams County and surrounding areas. “Please join us as the Miss-Lou community comes together in unity to seek God’s protection from this flooding. We are one in this time of need,” said Todd Trahan, organizer of the event. Vidalia Mayor Hiram Copeland says Concordia Parish is asking the Louisiana National Guard to help Louisiana's 5th Levee District prepare for rising water on the Mississippi River. He says emergency director Payne Scott asked for two, four-person units with equipment, and they should begin arriving Wednesday. Copeland and other officials are asking people to stay off levees in Mississippi and Louisiana. Copeland quotes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as saying the levees are in excellent shape, but so saturated with rain that too many vehicles could damage them. According to the Concordia … [Read more...]

By Staff, Louisiana Right to Life NEW ORLEANS - New Orleans and Louisiana Right to Life have partnered together to have 16 streetlight banner signs installed along historic St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans between St. Joseph Street and State Street. The signs went up Dec. 10. The two-sided pink banners, intended to raise awareness regarding the humanity of the unborn, display a 19-week-old baby in utero and state: "Give Her Life a Chance! First Heartbeat 22 Days after Conception!" Benjamin Clapper, Executive Director of Louisiana Right to Life, said, "Under Louisiana state law babies may be aborted up to 20 weeks fetal age for any reason. We hope the banners help educate the public by highlighting the humanity of the unborn child so often overlooked in our society." Shanon Snyder, Projects Director for New Orleans Right to Life, worked with the city of New Orleans and its contractors to get the banners installed. The project came about after Robert Winn, president of New Orleans Right to Life, heard about similar signs put up by Students for Life at the University of Southern California. Winn saw this as an effective way to bring the pro-life debate to the minds of New Orleans residents, Snyder said. "Abortion … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message BATON ROUGE -- America is in trouble, and it’s getting worse every day. Starting today, Jan. 5, — on the steps of the state Capitol in Des Moines, Iowa—Franklin Graham began the Decision America Tour, a series of noon prayer rallies in each state throughout 2016. As those gather to intercede for America, Graham will preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, calling the nation to repentance and encourage believers to engage the civil process by voting for godly leaders while prayerfully consider running for local office. The Decision America Tour, which begins in the state of the first caucus for the 2016 presidential election, will continue through early fall. On January 13, Graham will arrive in Baton Rouge, the third stop on his tour. He is encouraging everyone to join him for this special event which will take place within a short walk of Louisiana’s old State Capitol building. The rally will take place at noon on North Boulevard Town Square at the corner of North Boulevard and 3rd Street in Baton Rouge. He asks the question, “Will you join me for this important event?” “I encourage you to bring your friends, your family, and your church. Let’s stand together in prayer for our country … [Read more...]

By Message Staff GREENWELL SPRINGS – The Greenwell Springs Culture Impact Team has issued an invitation for anyone interested in starting a Culture Impact Team at their church to join them for the Free to Believe conference on Jan. 16. Held at Greenwell Springs Baptist Church, the conference will be part of a national simulcast. The Family Research Council will broadcast the event. “This will be a goal-minded simulcast with a post-event strategy,” according to a news release from Walter “Hank” Hankins. “Our mission is to turn the country and culture back to God and to provide the answer to the question, What can I do to turn this country around?” An RSVP is requested to attend the event by emailing CIT@gsbcla.com. … [Read more...]

NEW ORLEANS - The state's only Southern Baptist seminary held its fall commencement on Dec. 19, with 224 graduating. The following is a list of some of the graduates from Louisiana. Others with Louisiana ties are not released publicly, for reasons such as for security due to leaving to serve overseas. Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry Daniel Guagliardo Tickfaw Master of Theological Studies Nicholas Taylor Shreveport Stephen Partain Shreveport Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Counseling Skylar Artigue Collinston Master of Arts (Theology) Michael Steinmetz Shreveport Master of Music in Church Music Michael (Benjamin) DeCou, Sr. Houma David LeCompte Houma Master of Divinity Larry Johnson Kenner John Lary Sibley Tyler Moore Shreveport Master of Divinity with Specialization in Apologetics Daniel Currie New Orleans Master of Divinity with Specialization in Expository Preaching Keith Goodson Denham Springs Russell Zwerner Walker Master of Theology Karla McGehee New Orleans Doctor of Educational Ministry Billy Williams Winnfield Doctor of Ministry Tim Moffett Eunice … [Read more...]

By Gregory Tomlin, Christian Examiner METAIRIE (Christian Examiner) – U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, known as the conservative firebrand on the nation's high court, said during an address to Catholic high school students in Louisiana Jan. 2 that the U.S. Constitution does not require the government to be neutral with respect to religion. In fact, Scalia told the audience at Archbishop Rummel High School as part of an early celebration of Religious Freedom Day (Jan. 16), the government would do well to keep God in the mix and allow times for spiritual reflection because "God has been very good to us." Religious Freedom Day is celebrated annually by presidential proclamation and commemorates the passage of the Virginia Statute for Religious Liberty in 1786, widely regarded as the precursor to the First Amendment. Scalia said the modern perception that government was meant to be neutral to religion is not the groundwork for the Constitution, as evidence by the fact that so many presidents and other American leaders invoked the name of God and asked Americans to pray to him in times of national crises. "To tell you the truth there is no place for that in our constitutional tradition. Where did that come … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – Amid those New Year’s resolutions of losing weight, spending more time with family and watching less television is another one that Louisiana Baptists leaders have issued as a challenge – start the first 21 days of 2016 praying intentionally for the Next Generation. To help make that happen, the Louisiana  Baptists Evangelism & Church Growth Team in partnership with the Pastoral Ministry Team has released the journal “Pray It Forward: 21 Days of Prayer for the Next Generation.” Each day of prayer focuses on three areas – reading God’s Word, reflecting on God’s Word and responding to God’s Word. Every day of focus has a verse, devotional thought and action steps to follow. Louisiana Baptist Convention team members along with pastors and Baptist Collegiate Ministry directors authored the prayer guide. Louisiana Baptist Evangelism and Church Growth Director Wayne Jenkins hopes those attending the Evangelism Conference at First Baptist Church in Lafayette will complete the journal by the time the event takes place on Jan. 25-26. A focus of the Evangelism Conference will be reaching the Next Generation. “Pray it Forward is the latest in a series of 21 day prayer and … [Read more...]

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