By Erica Wright, Staff Member 121 Community Church, Grapevine, Texas GRAPEVINE, Texas (BP) – I read a tweet the other day that said, “Sometimes the only prayer you can muster is, ‘Help!’” Amen to that. I’m rarely one to nap. Normally my brain doesn’t shut off long enough for me to sleep amidst a day; when the sun is shining, the pressure of productivity and task completion are all too real. I can’t live with time that feels wasted, so naps have just never been for me. But on this particular day, a nap quickly became a necessity. The exhaustion coupled with the cold weather persuaded me with little resistance. As I laid there, I began talking to Jesus. My confessions were real, my frustrations were real and my tears were real. I prayed for something I’ve prayed for every day for a year and seven months. It’s a bold prayer, a specific prayer and an impossible prayer. One that only Jesus can answer. As I prayed, I realized in great humiliation that I didn’t believe for a second that God would answer it. Could He hear me? Yes, absolutely. Was He able to act on my request? Without a doubt. But I didn’t believe He would. Honestly, I still don’t. I confessed my unbelief in that moment, but that didn’t ease it. I was still … [Read more...]

By Waylon Bailey, Pastor First Baptist Church Covington Over the last few years, churches and church leaders have learned that health is a key metric for churches. Find a healthy church and you will normally find a growing church with positive influence in its community. Healthy churches grow healthy followers of Christ, and they make a difference in the world. What is it that healthy churches emphasize? First, healthy churches emphasize the past. They do this in two ways. Healthy churches remember their foundation both in the church and in Christian history. They emphasize their biblical roots. As the church magnifies the gospel – the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ–it builds on an enduring foundation. The healthy church also remembers those who established the foundation of their local congregation. Remembering the former leaders helps the church recognize its past and encourage its future. A look back to other leaders also helps the church’s humility. Second, the healthy church emphasizes its present. We have to live in the present. We can’t relive the past, and we are not yet in the future. The healthy church makes the most of every opportunity to do good and to proclaim the gospel. Healthy churches are busy … [Read more...]

By Chris Martin, Social Media Facilitator, LifeWay Christian NASHVILLE (BP) – It’s true. Millennials aren’t streaming into churches like their parents and grandparents did years before. Evangelicalism has lost its cultural chic and the cost of discipleship has increased, even if only slightly. Amid these cultural changes and other tendencies among Millennials, 86 percent of this generation claim some level of faith in “God” but only 36 percent self-identify as “religious,” according to Pew Research Center data. Numerous methodologies, strategies, evangelism initiatives and other sorts of structures can be fashioned to reel young people into the church, that is for sure. Whether it’s smoke machines and plaid-clad guitar players or Starbucks coffee, churches have plenty of ideas when it comes to reaching Millennials. My hope is to help with some of those strategies and encourage local churches to look for ways to leverage Millennial values in order to minister the Gospel. But first, I think we need to pray. Before a church can hope to introduce people to Jesus, it must itself intimately know Him and submit to Him all matters of ministry, especially when it comes to evangelizing effectively. A posture of persistent prayer must … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:31 Among the ministry opportunities before Level Ground is at Conrad Park. Pastor Joshua Holland, who is a former college football player at Campbellsville University in Kentucky, believes his church can utilize the park’s baseball field for ministry, fielding a team from the neighborhood to compete against teams from outside the neighborhood. Though a league held its games at Conrad Park this year, not a single team from Hollygrove participated. 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 … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:34 Lynn Clayton and his wife, Leah, have enjoyed seeing the church grow and reach its community through its ministries which include bread distribution, Trunk or Treat and prayer. 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 … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:36 Perry Hancock By Brian Blackwell. Message Staff Writer MONROE – Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home President and CEO Perry Hancock realizes the impact foster care and adoption has on children in the state. Currently, 45 foster homes are affiliated with the Children’s Home and are located in all areas of Louisiana. Hancock said the entity’s goal is to have hundreds of affiliated foster homes. To that end, the Children’s Home is looking for model churches in Shreveport and central Louisiana that would commit to establishing new foster care and adoption ministries. These model churches also could host monthly foster care and adoption support group meetings and possibly offer a parsonage not in use for a foster home. First Baptist New Orleans already is a model church for not only the New Orleans area but also the Northshore. The church’s Crossroads NOLA initiative promotes Christian foster care and adoption and provides support for Christian foster families in the New Orleans and Northshore areas. “When we at LBCH ask ‘where are the children who need us?’, foster care is one of the answers,” Hancock said. “With so many children in foster care (4,500), the opportunity to … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell. Message Staff Writer RUSTON – Ever wanted to minister to victims of a hurricane, tornado or flood in the United States? Then March 21 may be that chance when Temple Baptist Church in Ruston hosts a Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief roundtable. The roundtable offers one-day training for anyone interested in becoming a part of a Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief team. Stanley Statham, a blue hat (unit director) for the disaster relief team for the Baptist Associations of Southeast Louisiana, said disaster relief training is important because it prepares church members to respond to those in crisis in an effective way. “Often when a disaster strikes people want to respond but lack the skills and knowledge to do so in an effective way,” said Statham, who also is director of missions for the association. “Responding to disasters gives every believer an opportunity to demonstrate the love of Christ. James 1:27 states, Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction. “In the first century widows and orphans were the most vulnerable of society,” he continued. “Survivors of disasters are left in a vulnerable state and cannot pay back the good that … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message WOODWORTH – Young men will get a taste of pioneer days at this year’s Royal Ambassador Congress. Starting and extinguishing a fire, how a yoke of oxen work together as a team and eating a meal out of a chuck wagon are among the activities planned for this year’s annual gathering of first through sixth grade boys. RA Congress begins March 27 and concludes the following day at Tall Timbers Conference Center. “There are moments growing up that have created “snapshots” on the memory banks of my mind,” said Mike Collie. “An RA campout is one of those snapshots. I believe this is one of those snapshot events.” While RA Congress will feature events unique to its theme “Take Me Back To Pioneer Days”, the weekend will also include traditional favorites such as pinewood derby and soapbox car races, archery, rope crafts, bb gun shooting, slingshots, hatchet throwing and presentations from missionaries. The missionaries coming this year include those from the North American and International Mission Board. The cost for RA Congress is average of $76.00 per person, based on multiple occupancy. To register, visit LouisianaBaptists.org/RACongress or contact Tall Timbers by phone at 318.445.6797 or email at … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message Several hundred GAs and Children in Action will come together to not only learn about missions but do missions together at the annual Mission Jamboree later this month. Known as M-JAM, the event is scheduled at two locations in the state. The schedule will be the same at both locations, which allows for youngsters in first through sixth grade and their leaders to attend M-JAM at the church closest to where they live. Williams Boulevard Baptist in Kenner is hosting the first M-JAM on March 14 while First Baptist Church in Minden is the site for the event on March 21. The Scripture basis for M-JAM is Mark 8:34. “M-Jam is a day of mission’s awareness and mission activity that builds on their faith foundations with a Gospel presentation, that introduces children to ‘real live’ missionaries, and gives them an opportunity to do missions activities with children from around the state,” said Jess Archer, children/youth mission education strategist for Louisiana Baptists. Maegan Bruce on March 14 and Andy Partington on March 21 will use music and interaction during the main celebration sessions to tell the missions story, engage those attending in missions and present the Gospel. Chance Fussell and friends … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:53 By Hannah Fleming, Message Staff Reporter PINEVILLE – God is revealing Himself in a new way through The Gathering Place church. Glen Whatley, pastor of The Gathering Place, says God has changed his perspective on church. And in so doing, The Gathering Place has expanded and is now meeting in not one but two locations. “Two years ago in November, I attended a conference where the speaker spoke about becoming a ‘sending’ church,” said Whatley. “The idea was to always be looking to send people out to plant new churches in your area, state, or wherever.” Whatley said when the church outgrew its existing building he wanted to follow the traditional trend of most churches and just build a new building or, perhaps, relocate the entire church to a bigger location. “It was very satisfying to think about expansion in that way. It would have made me look successful and the church proud,” said Whatley. But as hard as it was for Whatley to let go of the old ways, God had spoken and he began to follow God’s Call. He first took the idea to the elders, who began to pray about it, and then it was brought before the congregation where the idea received 100 percent affirmation. Upon … [Read more...]