By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer
LAFAYETTE – Christian comedian and musician Mark Lowry, a Texas native who broke into the entertainment business as a musician, will bring his famous blend of humor and encouraging words to hundreds of senior adults during the 2016 Senior Adult Luncheon at the Louisiana Baptist Evangelism Conference.
“I love my seniors,” said Lowry when reached by the Baptist Message. “They’re my people! Maybe because I’m almost a senior … anyway … I love ‘em!
Born in Houston, Lowry overcame battles with Attention Deficit Disorder as a child to attend Liberty Baptist College (now Liberty University) and launch a career that has included four-decades of making audiences laugh and leave encouraged.
“I started making people laugh early in life,” he said, “because if people were laughing, they weren’t hollering at you. I was just trying to have fun. My dad used to whip me for cutting up in church. Now, I get to cut up all I want and get paid for it.”
Scheduled during the second day of the Evangelism Conference at First Baptist Church in Lafayette, the Senior Adult Luncheon will take place from 11:15 am to 1:30 pm.
Jeff Ingram, adult ministry strategist for Louisiana Baptists, said Lowry brings something that appeals to a wide audience.
“Most senior adults enjoy Southern Baptist gospel music and everyone loves a good laugh,” Ingram said.
“I thought Mark would bring a good blend of clean humor and encouragement to people. Everybody needs a little bit of encouragement in the dark of days we are living in.”
Although Lowry specializes in comedy and song parodies, he also wrote the lyrics to “Mary, Did You Know?” in 1984. This Christmas song has been recorded more than 400 times by artists such as Kenny Rogers, Michael English, Wynonna Judd, Natalie Cole, Reba McIntire, Clay Aiken and the Gaither Vocal Band of which Lowry was the baritone singer for more than 20 years.
“Stan Whitmire, who is a great pianist, and I will be there, and we’ll have some laughs, some great music, maybe a few tears, and some more laughs,” said Lowry. “Stan and I are really excited about coming to FBC Lafayette on Jan. 26 to take part in the Senior Adult Luncheon for the LBC Evangelism Conference.”
Ingram hopes that Lowry will inspire senior adults at the luncheon to continue to shine the light of Christ.
“We want to do something special for senior adults,” he said. “We don’t believe senior adults should be in retirement mode. They should be actively serving the Lord and sharing their faith.”
He encourages those attending the lunch to go to the general sessions of the Evangelism Conference at First Baptist Lafayette.
The conference will begin at 1:15 pm Jan. 25 and end at 8:15 pm Jan. 26.
Speakers include David Burton of David Burton Ministries in Jacksonville, Fla.; Reginald Calvert, pastor of New Jerusalem Baptist Church, Bessemer, Ala.; Mark Croston, national director of Black Church Partnerships, LifeWay Christian Resources; Steve Gaines, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tenn.; Josh McDowell of Josh McDowell Ministry in Branson, Mo.; and Alvin Reid, evangelism professor at Southeastern Baptist Seminary, Wake Forest, NC.
Charles Billingsley will lead the music.
“After Mark Lowry gets finished, the regular Evangelism Conference starts back,” Ingram said. “Don’t leave but hang around for the conference. We have some great speakers and worship planned.
“We always encourage the senior adults to come early, stay late and take in the evangelism conference,” he continued. “The speakers will give them encouragement to obey the Great Commission and to be bold.”
To register for the Senior Adult Luncheon, go to https://louisianabaptists.org/seniorsluncheon. The cost is $20 and the registration deadline is Jan. 21.
