By Baptist Message staff LAFAYETTE, La. (LBM) – A weekend aimed at helping Louisiana Baptist churches experience renewal will take place Sept. 9-10 at Open Door Community Church, Lafayette. Revive Summit will feature in-depth Bible study, practical instructions for improvement of biblical preaching and proven steps to renewal. Speakers planned for the event include Mark Clifton, director, North American Mission Board replant team; Jimbo Stewart, associate director, NAMB replant team; Frank Lewis, former pastor, First Baptist Church, Nashville, Tenn.; Joe Crider, worship pastor, First Baptist Church, Benbrook, Texas; Richard Blackaby, president, Blackaby Ministries International; and Rick Fisher, vice president, Blackaby Ministries International. “On average, 25 churches per year close their doors in Louisiana,” Send Network Louisiana Director Lane Corley told the Baptist Message. “The replant rate is about seven per year. The Revive Summit will be a great conference to encourage and equip those serving in a culture where church decline is the norm.” Cost is $15. For more information: https://louisianabaptists.org/event/revive-summit-lafayette/ … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – More than 1,000 individuals will gather Sept. 17 inside Alexandria’s Randolph Riverfront Center for the sixth annual ‘Gift of Life’ banquet to hear inspirational testimonies of two women who experienced radical redemption through the ministry of pregnancy centers and pro-life advocates. The largest fundraiser for the CENLA Pregnancy Center’s locations in Alexandria, Marksville and Vidalia will feature keynote speaker and pro-life activist Toni McFadden, who will share how the love of Christ helped her experience redemption from an abortion she underwent as a scared teenager. Additionally, a client of CPC will talk about how the ministry helped save her baby girl through reversal of her chemically induced abortion. “The theme for this year’s event is ‘You Are Not Alone,’ a message known by our team and the many women who have received services from one of our centers,” CPC Executive Director Kim Lyons told the Baptist Message. “This year’s theme focuses on how we all have experienced a season of wandering in the desert. “These pregnant women who come to us may feel as though they are in a desert, with no support, with no one by their side,” she … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer SHREVEPORT, La. (LBM) – Crawford Williams and Price Harris may no longer be sharing the Good News in churches every week, but they stay active in retirement by being on mission in leading chapel services for The Glen assisted living community. Every Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Harris leads a time of worship before Williams shares a Gospel-centered message. Through their obedience, the two men since 2021 have seen attendance not only grow from 12 to an average of 40, and some have come to a saving knowledge of Christ. “I’ve always liked and felt the call to preach,” Williams told the Baptist Message. “And that’s been a burden to preach regularly and often. Whenever I have an opportunity, I take it to preach on Heaven, to preach on Hell and to preach on Jesus over and over, and how to be saved, have assurance and to be salt of the earth and light of the world.” Harris added that the opportunity to serve at The Glen has been a joy. “There is a lot of love in this place,” Harris said. “You can feel it each time you walk around here.” Williams, a graduate of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, served as a pastor for 64 years before moving to The Glen in 2019. He … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer PATTERSON, La. (LBM) – Ronnie Mabile moved to Michigan from St. Mary Parish in 2018, never dreaming he would return just two years later to the same area for a Gospel harvest. Since then, he has seen first-hand God’s provision and expansion of the Kingdom through Redeemed Life Fellowship, Patterson. “It took a long time for people to understand who we are, what we there for and basically that we just want to be a part of the community and be the hands and the feet of Jesus,” Mabile told the Baptist Message. “And by doing that, we have now become a church where if anything in the community needs to be done, they call us first. “Rural church planning is not for the faint of heart,” he added. “But if you are committed to building those relationships, people will look to you like you have been here forever.” Mabile, who pastored a church located 40 miles from Patterson (St. Mary Parish) before moving to Michigan in 2018, felt called back to Louisiana after passing by a vacant church building in the community when he returned for a visit in the summer. He learned that Gulf Coast Baptist Association planned to sell the property that formerly housed Calumet Baptist … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – Several months after a search began for Louisiana Christian University’s next president, nearly 100 alumni, faculty, and staff of the school along with community leaders gathered for an update at a Town Hall meeting inside the Granberry Conference Room on campus, Aug. 8. BACKGROUND The Town Hall was the second of seven scheduled Town Hall meetings around the state that will offer additional insight from those interested in the search for the next president and in the direction of the school moving forward. Rick Brewer retired in March as the 9th president of the nearly 120-year-old institution. David Jeffreys, who served as executive vice president and chief operating officer since 2022, was then appointed by the board as acting president, and a presidential search committee was formed. The search committee enlisted the firm of Carter Baldwin Executive Search of Alpharetta, Georgia. The firm has been recognized by Forbes as one of the country’s “Best Recruiting Firms” and, according to the company’s website, it has built and honed an engineered, collaborative, tested and effective search process, and its nonprofit practice helps the world’s … [Read more...]

NOTE: The Baptist Message provides churches an opportunity to share with other Louisiana Baptists an upcoming revival, homecoming, new pastor, new staff member, a community outreach, or a concert in Louisiana Notables. To place your event in the paper, send your information (who, what, where, when, time) to philip@baptistmessage.com or call 318.449.4345. Please submit your information four weeks prior to the event to insure placement in the Message. ON THE MOVE Eric Halphen is the new music minister at Providence Baptist Church, Baton Rouge. Louis Husser retires as Pastor at Crossgate Church, Robert. Alex, wife Renee, Dupree is the new minister of youth and children at Bethel Baptist, Bastrop. Caleb Whitten is the new worship pastor at Judson Baptist Church, Walker. John, wife Sharon Gibson, Cleveland has stepped down as pastor of Pioneer Baptist Church, Pioneer. Jeff, wife Angela, Hoffman is the new Associational Strategist for Bienville, Webster, Claiborne Baptists Associations as Randy Hales retires following 23 years of service. Tommy Inman is the new pastor at Magnola Baptist Church, Saline. Marvin Bartlett is the new pastor at Ford Park Baptist Church, Shreveport. Alex, wife Renee, Dupree is the … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff WOODWORTH, La. (LBM) – Individuals with special needs will experience a full slate of activities during the upcoming Champions Camp, Sept. 6-8 at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center, Woodworth. The camp will match participants with buddies who will accompany them throughout the weekend. The camp will feature games, activities, crafts, karaoke, worship and Bible study designed for children and adults, ages 8 and up, who have intellectual or developmental disabilities. Champions Camp Director David Anderson, who also serves as Louisiana Baptists’ children’s ministry strategist, said individuals with special needs along with their families are one of the most unreached people groups in the state. He cited a 2022-2023 study from the National Center for Education, which found that the number of students ages 3–21 who received special education and/or related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was 7.5 million, or the equivalent of 15 percent of all public-school students. “Our friends and family members that deal with special needs in their lives are just like everyone else,” Anderson told the Baptist Message. “They want to lead as normal lives as possible with friends … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer COVINGTON, La. (LBM) – On the heels of a presidential election, the Concerned Women for America’s “She Prays She Votes” bus tour recently made a stop at Lakeshore Church to encourage more than 150 women and a handful of men to pray for the United States and vote. Launched at the Republican National Convention in July, the tour features stops at 12 states through Aug. 20, and includes messages from elected officials and other speakers, food, giveaways and a large pink bus. “We're going coast to coast this summer just to pray over the election and then encourage Christians to be engaged in the upcoming election because we believe in the values and the importance of what we’re voting on in the voting booths,” Concerned Women for America spokesperson Macy Petty told the Baptist Message moments before the start of the Aug. 5 rally. “And ultimately, these are spiritual issues. We know that the devil can do harm through elections and politics, and it's another arena that we need to be engaged in and where we need to be fighting for Christian values. We continue to see women stand up to this call, really engage in amazing ways and stand boldly in faith.” State Sen. Heather … [Read more...]