SHREVEPORT – Kevin Cochran, the Atlanta, Ga., fire chief known for his termination over a book he wrote calling homosexual behavior immoral will be the keynote speaker at a men’s conference this weekend. Hosted by Willow Point Baptist Church, the Men’s Freedom Weekend will feature Cochran who will speak on the freedom he has found in the fire of adversity. Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed fired Cochran on Jan. 6 following publication of his book. Cochran spent his childhood in Shreveport and is a deacon, Sunday school teacher and Bible study leader at Elizabeth Baptist Church in Atlanta. Elizabeth Baptist Church is a member of the Georgia Baptist Convention. The conference, which is free to those attending, starts at 6:50 pm on Friday with the first session featuring Cochran, who also will speak on Saturday. The conference on Saturday begins at 7:30 am with a breakfast and ends at noon. In addition to Cochran’s messages, Broken Vessels of Deridder will lead music. “The purpose of this event is not political in anyway whatsoever,” said Billy Stevens, pastor of Willow Point Baptist. “It is all about Jesus. The content is about Freedom in Christ and helping men find true Freedom in knowing the power of the Gospel, so bring a friend … [Read more...]

BOSSIER CITY – Two words from Christ more than 2,000 years ago still are very much alive today and continue to impact one’s own community, state, nation and world. Follow Jesus. “A call to be like Jesus – to see the world with His heart, through His eyes, to see the possibilities and act boldly in His power,” said Lane Corley, Louisiana Baptists’ church planting strategist and pastor of the Bridge Church in Madisonville. “That’s our challenge and it’s the one our community is waiting for.” In fact, following Jesus may require much sacrifice but yet could be found as close as a believer’s front yard, college campus or office building. But before following Jesus, a Christian must start with getting his or her heart right with God. A heart is one of four symbols the Bridge Church uses for a simple tool to find ways to follow Jesus in its community. And the same matrix can be adopted by any other church, Corley emphasized. In addition to the heart, the other symbols are an eye, lightbulb and finally an arrow. After getting one’s heart right with God, a believer must have his or her eyes open to needs of the world, then have an imagination for the heart and eyes to dream of ways to reach people and lastly an action for a … [Read more...]

KENTWOOD – Start your engines! No, it’s not the start of a NASCAR race but participants at the upcoming 4 Wheels 4 Him: Car Show and Spring Fest will hear those words on May 2 at New Zion Baptist Church in Kentwood. The day’s activities include music, door prizes, jumper houses, BB-guns, bows and arrows and more. Sharing a testimony is Bart Vandrell, who has won the Auto-rama’s World of Wheels at the Mercedes Benz Superdome in New Orleans. Vandrell is a member of First Baptist Church in Pearl River. The 4 Wheels 4 Him format is different from past years, when four-wheelers were the centerpiece. Gibbie McMillan, men’s ministry director for Louisiana Baptists, said the format change was because the timber company no longer allowed use of their land for this purpose. “So rather than cancel the event totally , we just changed some of the activities and now we will have the car show and games for the children to participate in such as learning to correctly shoot and handle a BB gun and shoot a bow and arrow,” McMillan said. “There will be several different musical groups performing throughout the day, lunch will be served, and door prizes will be given away.” Registration for the event is at 8 am, with festivities kicking off at 9 … [Read more...]

“I really want to say to the Baptist Message readers and to all the Baptists in Louisiana thank you so very much for the seminary. We would not have changed this prison - because it’s a God thing - man couldn’t do it - it’s a God thing that you have provided. God used you to deliver this prison from evil to a prison where we now have moral men and rehabilitation is really occurring and you have less victims of violent crime because of what you have contributed and done to support the seminary and Louisiana State Penitentiary which consequently has had an impact on all the prisons in Louisiana – so thank you so very much.” … [Read more...]

ALEXANDRIA – Louisiana Baptists have positioned themselves for a strong and potentially fruitful 2015 according to Louisiana Baptists Executive Director David Hankins. “As a whole, Louisiana Baptists continue to believe in and support our cooperative approach to missions and ministries in Louisiana and beyond,” said Hankins. “I am blessed and encouraged by the faithfulness of God’s people and God’s churches.” Louisiana Baptists finished the first quarter of missions and ministry in 2015 with a 3.63percent increase in Cooperative Program gifts versus 2014. CP gifts received January through March of 2015 totaled $5,522,569.46 which is 6 percent ahead of the year-to-date budget. Hankins believes the strong first quarter giving report is an indication that churches are affirming their desire to work together for the sake of the Great Commission and the 2020 challenge to strengthen our efforts for the cause of Christ. “I can assure Louisiana Baptists the Children’s Home, Louisiana College, State Missions Services and other Louisiana Baptists enterprises appreciate the faithfulness of the churches and will wisely utilize these gifts in the days ahead as each carries out their ministry assignments,” Hankins said. CP gifts fuel … [Read more...]

ANGOLA – Clarence Frederick wore a big smile as he shepherded a group of Louisiana Baptist men through Camp C at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola on April 11. While the Baptist men witnessed, distributed tracts and prayed with the incarcerated men, Frederick, 52, described the importance of their visit. “The average sentence here is four years - we really have to keep the evangelistical message goin’ here,” Frederick said in his Cajun accent. Now in his 27th year of a life sentence for second degree murder, Frederick is a graduate of the New Orleans Theological Seminary pastoral studies program and leads a 70-member inmate church that meets in the camp chapel. While many of the 6,200-plus men incarcerated in America’s largest maximum security prison are serving life sentences at its five other camps, Camp C holds about 1,100 men, previously held in Phelps Correctional Center before it closed two years ago. They will all eventually be released. “These (Baptist) guys come in here and help us feel like we’re bridging the gap between the Christians in society and the Christians in here,” Frederick said. “They actually reach some inmates that perhaps don’t want to talk to an inmate pastor,” Frederick said. “They are … [Read more...]

ON THE MOVE Titus Terrebonne new as associate pastor at South Lafourche Baptist Church. Preston Young new as pastor of First Baptist Church, Castor. Brad McCandless new as pastor at Mt. Olive Baptist Church, Quitman. Everett Geis, Sr., new as interim past at First Baptist Church, Ringgold. Lonnie Cook has resigned as Pastor of Carroll Baptist Church, Walker. Andy Granger new as song leader at New Bethlehem Baptist Church, Denham Springs. HOMECOMING First Baptist Church, Cameron: 75th anniversary, April 18, service at 11 a.m. followed by dinner on the grounds.  Former members and pastors are invited to attend.  For more information, call 337.764.3352. REVIVAL Philadelphia Baptist Church, Deville: RESCUE, a revival for the family, April 12-14. Evangelist: Josh McDowell. Worship: Casey Darnell. Pastor: Philip Robertson. First Baptist Church, Natchitoches: Revival – Life Action Thirst Conference, April 12-15. Sunday, 9:30 a.m. worship service, 11 a.m. Combined Sunday School for adults and youth in the sanctuary, 6:30 p.m. worship service. Monday-Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. worship service. Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. there will be a ladies luncheon. The Life Action conference at First Baptist will help people to slow down, examine their … [Read more...]

MONROE – Shantel had no trouble fitting all of her earthly possessions into two trash bags. The problem was finding a place to unpack those bags – a safe place that she could call home. Shantel was 18 years old, and she had officially “aged out” of the foster care system. “Young people like me who age out of the system usually don’t have the luxury of having a family to help,” Shantel said. “The decisions we face every day – how we pay our bills, put food in our mouths and keep a roof over our heads – are difficult, and we have to answer them without the guidance or support of a family.” “Aging out” is a term used to describe the process of youth transitioning out of the foster care system with no permanent family connection. Of the 400,000 children who are in foster care nationwide, approximately 25,000 age out every year without a permanent home or family to support them. Many youth coming out of foster care are at higher risk for unemployment, poor educational outcomes, health issues, early parenthood, long-term dependency on public assistance, and increased rate of incarceration and homelessness. One in four will be incarcerated within two years of leaving foster care. One in five will become homeless. Only half will … [Read more...]

MINDEN – Andy Partington received a little help as he shared the importance of missions. Holding a puppet, Partington talked with more than 470 youngsters and their adult leaders about saying yes to Jesus. “When you follow him amazing things happen,” said Partington, who serves as the children’s pastor at First Baptist Church in Minden. “We just have to choose to be obedient.” Partington was the main speaker during the recent M-JAM, also known as Missions Jamboree. The day-long event featured Louisiana and international missionaries and was held at two locations – Williams Boulevard Baptist Church in Kenner on March 14 and First Baptist Church in Minden on March 21. The schedule was the same at both locations and allowed for youngsters in first through sixth grade and their leaders to attend M-JAM at the church closest to where they live. Attendance was 245 at Williams Boulevard Baptist and was 472 at First Baptist Minden While Partington was the main speaker for the M-JAM in Minden, Maegan Bruce was the main speaker for the event at Williams Boulevard Baptist. The event used challenging messages by Partington and Bruce, in addition to music by Chance Fussell and friends during the main celebration sessions to tell the … [Read more...]