By Diana Chandler, Regional Reporter   Select convention churches in hard-hit St. Bernard and Plaquemine Parishes still haven’t reached pre-Katrina levels in numbers nor budgets six years after the storm, but are faithful in ministry and stewardship.   First Baptist Church of Venice in Plaquemines Parish will move into a new building within weeks, while the St. Bernard congregations of First Baptist Church of Chalmette and Poydras Baptist Church continue to thrive, adding ministries and baptising believers.   First Baptist Chalmette   First Baptist Church of Chalmette had 97 percent of its 1,600 resident members displaced following Hurricane Katrina, but Pastor John Jeffries has led an evangelistic thrust that garnered 93 Baptisms last year alone.   Six years after the storm, the church has about 200 members and operates at 55 percent of its budget, Jeffries said. While the church meets payroll, no money is allotted for such line items as youth programs and the choir, and Jeffries is the only paid minister.   “If we pay every bill, plus every one’s salary, that’s 100 percent [of budget]. People say ‘Well, how are you making it?’” Jeffries posed. “It’s the grace of … [Read more...]

By Quinn Lavespere, Message Staff Writer   [img_assist|nid=7597|title=Spirit-filled ministry|desc=Ladies of First Homer’s prayer shawl ministry include (from left) Shirley Vines and 92-year-old Eva Hardy. To her right are Margaret Rowell, Joy Hays, Denice Owens, Brenda Mitchell, Mildred McHam, Barbara Monzingo, Betty Gathright, Renee Cross, Barbara Booth, Sandra Hines, Claire Brown, Nancy Ross, Carolyn Bice, and Linda Duckworth.|link=none|align=right|width=640|height=511]HOMER – Some ministries are characterized by a spirit that is incredibly sweet and loving.   One women’s ministry in Homer proudly and happily embodies that spirit.   Made up of young and old members, the Homer First Baptist Church Prayer Shawl Ministry lovingly knits and crochets prayer shawls for people with various needs, all the while leaving an indelible mark on those they come in contact with.   “Loving-kindness is the foundation that this ministry is built upon,” group member Joy Hays said. “Through us, we want God’s Holy Spirit to deliver healing and anointing on all those we come in contact with.”   The prayer shawl ministry began in October 2007 with 15 ladies present.   At the … [Read more...]

By Allison Bruchhaus, Director of Public Relations at Louisiana College   [img_assist|nid=7615|title=LC President Joe Aguillard teaches while on African mission trip|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=424]PINEVILLE – In its 105th year Louisiana College continued to fulfill The Great Commission through its “Unchanging Foundations since 1906” theme.   LC continues to grow and thrive as a distinctively Christian college, grounded in the preeminence of Jesus Christ, the authority of the Scriptures and academic excellence and a passion to change the world for Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.   Enrollment and Faculty Growth   Last year, enrollment numbers surpassed LC’s all-time historical record. More than 1,800 students enrolled in the college. These numbers demonstrate a growth rate of over 89 percent since Dr. Aguillard became President. This year, Louisiana College again opened its doors to the largest freshman and transfer class in the history of the college. Because of the record-breaking enrollment, LC placed more than 40 students at a local hotel, since on-campus housing was filled to capacity.   In addition, more than 40 new faculty and staff members have … [Read more...]

By Quinn Lavespere, Message Staff Writer WINNFIELD – In the town of Winnfield and its surrounding areas, people have three essential passions: hunting, fishing, and God. This September, those people will have a chance to enjoy all those loves in one place. The Baptist Missions and Ministry Center in Jonesboro will sponsor and host its second annual Hunters and Anglers Rally at 6;30 p.m. Sept. 24 in the Winnfield Civic Center. “After the tremendous success of the first rally, we had to make this an annual event,” said Missions and Ministry Center DOM Clovis Sturdivant. “We’re hoping that the second can top the first in so many ways.” Sturdivant himself has a love for hunting and fishing that was instilled in him during his childhood by his grandparents. He recalled how the idea for the Hunters and Anglers Rally came to fruition in the first place. “One of our pastors had been doing something like this for the members of his church for a couple of years as a way of creating fellowship, but on a small scale,” the DOM said. “He and I talked, and he met with Bobby Brasher over in Texas, where they were doing this sort of thing on a much larger scale. He came back and told me about some of the things they were doing, and we said, … [Read more...]

[img_assist|nid=7605|title=FBC Crowley women|desc=Women from First Baptist Church of Crowley met recently and made small tote bags for the wives of pastors in Yucatan, Mexico. A Christian book is to be placed in each bag.|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=420] … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message   ARRIVALS/DEPARTURES   Landon (wife Jessica) Roney: new as worship leader at New River St. Amant, from Alvarado, Texas. Pastor: Wayne Talley.   Peter Allen: ordained Sept. 4 to the gospel ministry. He is student pastor at First Haughton; pastor: Gevan Spinney.   Jodie Williams: retiring Dec. 31 after 33 years as minister of music at Temple Ruston. Pastor: Rick Byargeon.   Derek (wife Robin) Cox: new as pastor at Springs of Grace Shreveport, from First Guymon, Okla.   Cameron Theodos: new as music pastor at Common Ground Shreveport, from laity.   Wayne DuBose: new as interim pastor at Red River Benton.   Richard Beeman: new as interim music minister at Red River Benton.   Rex Blankenship: from Springs of Grace pastor to Tulsa, Okla.   Bill Green: resigns as pastor from Oak Hill Plain Dealing.   Gary Palmer: retires as pastor from Bethany Baptist.   Charles Ainsworth: new as pastor of Canaan Spearsville.       Needed/Giving   Northwest Louisiana Baptist Association churches without pastors: Bethany, Emmanuel Shreveport, Emmanuel Vivian, … [Read more...]

By Staff, LBC Communications   STATEWIDE – Remember growing something from seeds as a science experiment in school?   In most of those science experiments, as in most of our own planting of flowers or fruits, we see a picture of what will be produced by the seeds we plant.   The Bible promises us that the seeds we sow in faith for the kingdom of God will also produce a crop. We don’t always know what that crop will look like, nor do the faithful men and women who are planting churches and doing compassion ministries throughout Louisiana.   They have a burden for the lost and, following God’s call, step out in faith to sow seeds regardless of the tears and pain involved, trusting that God will reap His crop “with shouts of joy.”   The Georgia Barnette Offering for State Missions is one way to sow these seeds of faith. Here are some examples of the way those seeds are sprouting:   n A new church plant, Living Waters Baptist Fellowship in Bossier City, catering to African-American families, is meeting in the Southern Hills Baptist Church facilities.   n Don and Melba Moss operate the Community Outreach Center in Dequincy “to demonstrate God’s love in … [Read more...]

By Diana Chandler, Regional Reporter   METAIRIE – Pervasive idolatry is threatening religious liberty, traditional marriage and the sanctity of human life in America, religious leaders proclaimed at a recent Consequences of Truth Tour stop at Celebration Church.   Tour leaders stated a biblical worldview of God as creator and Lord of all, encouraging pastors, legislators and community heads to sign on line the 2009 Manhattan Declaration, a document tour leaders drafted promoting their cause.   “The only place moral renewal is going to come from in our society is us,” said Chuck Colson, founder of the Colson Center for Biblical Worldview, a tour sponsor.   The Manhattan Declaration, supported by evangelical, orthodox and Catholic Christians, affirms the sanctity of life from conception to natural death, marriage as the union of one man and one woman, and religious freedom and human dignity grounded in the character of Jesus.   Colson, Princeton University Professor Robert George and Beeson Divinity School Dean Timothy George, Manhattan declaration co-authors, said they were inspired by the Barman Declaration of 1930s Germany, a document written by members of the Lutheran, … [Read more...]

By Diana Chandler, Regional Reporter   Select convention churches in hard-hit St. Bernard and Plaquemine Parishes still haven’t reached pre-Katrina levels in numbers nor budgets six years after the storm, but are faithful in ministry and stewardship.   First Baptist Church of Venice in Plaquemines Parish will move into a new building within weeks, while the St. Bernard congregations of First Baptist Church of Chalmette and Poydras Baptist Church continue to thrive, adding ministries and baptising believers.       First Baptist Chalmette       First Baptist Church of Chalmette had 97 percent of its 1,600 resident members displaced following Hurricane Katrina, but Pastor John Jeffries has led an evangelistic thrust that garnered 93 Baptisms last year alone.   Six years after the storm, the church has about 200 members and operates at 55 percent of its budget, Jeffries said. While the church meets payroll, no money is allotted for such line items as youth programs and the choir, and Jeffries is the only paid minister.   “If we pay every bill, plus every one’s salary, that’s 100 percent [of budget]. People say ‘Well, how are you making … [Read more...]

By Diana Chandler, Regional Reporter   METAIRIE – Pervasive idolatry is threatening religious liberty, traditional marriage and the sanctity of human life in America, religious leaders proclaimed at a recent Consequences of Truth Tour stop at Celebration Church.   Tour leaders stated a biblical worldview of God as creator and Lord of all, encouraging pastors, legislators and community heads to sign on line the 2009 Manhattan Declaration, a document tour leaders drafted promoting their cause.   “The only place moral renewal is going to come from in our society is us,” said Chuck Colson, founder of the Colson Center for Biblical Worldview, a tour sponsor.   The Manhattan Declaration, supported by evangelical, orthodox and Catholic Christians, affirms the sanctity of life from conception to natural death, marriage as the union of one man and one woman, and religious freedom and human dignity grounded in the character of Jesus.   Colson, Princeton University Professor Robert George and Beeson Divinity School Dean Timothy George, Manhattan declaration co-authors, said they were inspired by the Barman Declaration of 1930s Germany, a document written by members of the Lutheran, … [Read more...]