News & Features By Brian Blackwell. Message Staff Writer DERIDDER – Laughter of 25 little ones fills the room as Pastor Lynn Clayton walks into the children’s building at New Life Baptist Church. Not far away, a group of young adults huddles in a classroom for Bible study, enjoying the lesson and one another’s fellowship. But 12 years ago, the thriving children’s and young adult department were almost non-existent. Clayton had just come on the scene as interim pastor at the church while working as the editor of the Baptist Message. The church was averaging around 28 in Sunday morning attendance in what was at the time a mission of First Baptist Church in DeRidder. Then, God began to move in a mighty way. Within 18 months, they moved from mission status to a self-supporting church with 73 members. By 2008, the church had grown to the point where they needed a new worship center to accommodate what was now an average attendance of 100. Four years later the building was complete and today attendance on a Sunday morning ranges between 200 and 250. However, New Life Baptist is not done with making sure it adds more space to accommodate its growing congregation. This year the church plans to construct a building that will house 10 … [Read more...]
Level Ground uses park to minister, reach people
News & Features By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer NEW ORLEANS – Ever since opening Jesus Project Ministries soon after Hurricane Katrina devastated much of the city, Debra Hoffman had prayed for God to send godly men to partner with their ministry. Started in 2007, the ministry is in the Hollygrove neighborhood known for a reputation as poor, often-violent and home to rapper Lil ‘Wayne. Hoffman was thankful when six years later God sent Joshua Holland and his family to the neighborhood, who moved into a home one block away to plant a church, Level Ground. “For us it is important to us to work with churches like Josh’s to be established and rooted in the community,” Hoffman said. “We are committed to Level Ground being a successful church plant here. It’s a blessing the whole Southern Baptist Convention is committed to the inner city of America.” Before becoming pastor of Level Ground, Holland never even considered church planting. A native of Eastern Kentucky, Holland believed he would serve as a student minister for the rest of his career. But when he arrived to study at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, God began to change his plans. One of his classmates knew her pastor, Tommy Green of First Baptist Church … [Read more...]
Warden Burl Cain mulling possible run for governor
News & Features By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer St. Francisville – Burl Cain, who is the longest-serving warden of any prison in the U.S. and in the history of Angola itself, is mulling over the possibility of running for governor. His name has been mentioned by some in the state as a possible candidate but Cain has yet to committ to whether he will or not. Signs in support of his potential candidacy can be found around Louisiana and the Facebook page “We Want Warden Burl Cain La Governor 2015” has garnered nearly 1,700 likes so far. He said that April 15 is the latest date he would make a decision on whether or not to run. Cain said he has not received an answer from God but is praying about the decision. And he asks for Louisiana Baptists to pray for him as well. “It’s important to serve Him and look for His blessing and direction,” Cain said. “When you are not in God’s will, disaster occurs. No answer would mean I didn’t get an answer and I would stay here at Angola. “Either answer is okay with me because it’s about serving God,” he said. “It’s not about serving self.” Select ratingGive it 1/5Give it 2/5Give it 3/5Give it 4/5Give it 5/5 Ranking: 1 … [Read more...]
It’s time for participants to register for annual revival at Angola
LBC & SBC News ANGOLA – The annual revival at the Louisiana State Penitentiary is several months away but those wanting to participate in evangelistic efforts there must register by March 25. Every year, around 150 Louisiana Baptists participate in the opportunity to share the gospel with the 6,000 men, one-on-one, who are in the facility. Worship services also are scheduled to take place in the camp chapels on the prison grounds. This year’s revival begins at 3 pm on Friday, April 10 and ends at 3 pm on Saturday, April 11. Dinner on Friday and breakfast and lunch are provided on Saturday. Housing is provided as well in the state police training facility on the grounds to the first 100 men who turn in their Department of Correction clearance forms to the Louisiana Baptists Evangelism Office. Women may attend the worship services but cannot participate in the personal evangelism efforts in the camps. In addition, women must obtain housing in an area hotel. Everyone must complete a new Department of Corrections clearance form, even if participants turned in one last year. Forms must be emailed to Dianne.York@LouisianaBaptists.org or faxed to Dianne York’s attention by Feb. 25 to 318.445.0055. Anyone attending the revival should … [Read more...]
Angola expanding NOBTS extension center building
Headlines By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ANGOLA – New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary is running out of room at its extension center building at the Louisiana State Penitentiary and is expanding. Since early February, construction has been ongoing for the Joan Horner Center of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. A concrete slab was poured and two weeks later inmates began their 24-hour, six days a week work on the 11,000-sq.-ft building, made possible by a $300,000 donation. Warden Burl Cain said when the building is dedicated with a target date of April 18, to coincide with the weekend of the Angola Rodeo, it will provide much needed breathing room for what has become a growing program and cramped workspace for the seminary students there. “What Louisiana Baptists have done is sustain the seminary which has changed lives, so thank you Louisiana Baptists,” Cain said. “This allows us to get away from the internal part of the prison. By having our own building we have a complete separation of church and state.” Once complete, the new building that is located not far from the current structure will house a computer lab, large classroom that will seat 160 students, two small classrooms, a religious library, … [Read more...]
Trustees unanmiously select Rick Brewer as LC President
Headlines By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – For the past 28 years, Rick Brewer has called Charleston Southern University home. But on April 7, Brewer will write a new chapter in his collegiate administrator life when he becomes the 9th full-time president of Louisiana College -- two others have served as interims. Trustees of the college unanimously voted for Brewer during a special called meeting on March 5 to guide the college. Calling it a job that wasn’t even on his radar until a few months ago, Brewer said the opportunity to become the college’s new president was clearly a thing of God. “We believe this is an answer to prayer,” Brewer said during a press conference following the board meeting. “We believe God has been in this from the very beginning. “In fact, He was working here before we knew it,” he continued. “He was working in our life before (trustees) knew it. He brought it all together. “I want to challenge the faculty, staff, students, alums, and other persons or constituent groups in the state that love Louisiana College to leave the past in the rear view mirror and get on board with what I believe will become the finest days Louisiana College has ever seen.” When Brewer arrives on the Pineville … [Read more...]
Louisiana Notables
Lagniappe ON THE MOVE Emily Carpenter new as children’s director at First Baptist Church, Jonesboro. Everett Geis, Sr. new as transitional pastor at Ringgold First Baptist Church. Seth Ott has resigned at Youth Minister at Watson Baptist Church, Denham Springs. HOMECOMING Fair Park Baptist Church, West Monroe: 66th Anniversary, March 8, Pastor: Waymond Warren. REVIVAL Palestine Baptist Church, Bogalusa: Harvest Day, March 1, 10:45 a.m. Evangelist: Joe Aulds. Pastor: Fred Brumfield. First Baptist Church of Head of Island: Revival, March 1-4, 10:45 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Sunday; 6:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. Evangelist: Marvin Wilson. Worship: The Wilsons. Pastor: Rocky Brown. New Covenant Church, Denham Springs: Messages on repentance, holiness and biblical revial, March 1-4, 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., Sunday; 6:30 p.m., Monday through Wednesday. Speaker: Richard Owen Roberts. Pastor: Keith Zachary. Faith Baptist Church, Bastrop: Revival, March 8-11, 10:30 a.m. March 8; 7 p.m. nightly March 9-11, Evangelist: Joe Aulds. Pastor: Bodie Spicer. Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, Covington: Revive This Nation, March 8-11, 6:30 p.m. nightly. For more information, call 985.892.1242. Speaker: Jonathon Beames. Pastor: Lonnie Thompson. Crockett Point … [Read more...]
Foundation trustees receive positive news at February meeting
LBC & SBC News By Jerry Love, Director of Planned Giving ALEXANDRIA – The Louisiana Baptist Foundation Board of Trustees met for its regular quarterly Trustees meeting on Feb. 3. This is the first of four meetings for the Board for this year. The majority of board members are returning, continuing in the first term commitment or finishing a second 3 year term. The Trustees welcomed its only new member for this year, Terry Shirley of DeRidder. Shirley has served the Foundation board in the past from 2002 through 2007. During the morning Investment Committee meeting, the various portfolios of the Foundation were reviewed in respect to performance and potential adjustments to asset allocation. Barbara Bell led a review of the financial assets under management. As of December 31, 2014 the total assets managed by the LBF are $169,367,256.31 held in 2099 accounts on behalf of Baptist churches and ministries. Over the past ten years the assets held by the foundation have increased by 63.5% from $103,575,660 at the end of 2004. Lee Morris of Graystone Consulting, the LBF’s investment consultant, was present for the meeting and delivered his performance summary as well as general expectations for the coming year. Morris … [Read more...]
Students instructed to walk by faith, not by sight at CEC
LBC & SBC News By Brian Blackwell. Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – Robby Gallaty presented students with a challenge – close their eyes and wonder about a life without sight. “Imagine if you were born into this world blind, do you know what that would be like?” Gallaty said to 675 students during the Collegiate Evangelism Conference. “That’s the world Bartimaeus came into.” Citing Mark 10:46-52, Gallaty challenged the students to do as Blind Bartimaeus did to receive eyesight – walk by faith and not by sight. To do this, Gallaty said students can do three things found in this passage. They are we should not be discouraged by the crowd, we should discard the cloaks in our life and we must surrender everything to Christ. Though Gallaty has never succumb to literal blindness, he told the students of the first 26 years of his life when he was spiritually without sight. A regular attender of church as a child and teenager, Gallaty said he was very religious but did not have a relationship with the Lord. Once he was on his own as a student at William Carey College in Hattiesburg, Miss., Gallaty in 1995 was introduced to Christ by Jeremy Brown, one of the few people who ever attempted doing so on … [Read more...]
Women encouraged to ‘pour themselves out’ in service to God
LBC & SBC News By Holly Jo Linzay, Regional Reporter “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.” II Timothy 4:6b-7 PINEVILLE – God is calling us to live sacrificially and to pour ourselves out in service to Him. “There is nothing more exciting than to be poured out for God. There is nothing better than to be in the center of God’s will,” Jaye Martin, the keynote speaker, told the women gathered at the Kaleidoscope conference. More than 270 women were challenged to pour themselves out in service to God at the Kaleidoscope conference Feb. 7 at First Baptist Church in Pineville. In order to be “poured out” for the Lord, Martin said, “We must give ourselves in service and sacrifice. But God only uses a clean vessel.” Kaleidoscope is a Cooperative Program-fueled event sponsored by the Louisiana Baptist Convention Women’s Missions & Ministry. During the day-long conference, Martin, president of Jaye Martin Ministries in Houston, referenced how Paul was pouring out his life for Christ in his writings to Timothy in II Timothy chapter 4. “A missing element in … [Read more...]
