Norris Landry remembers a call he received one morning – from a friend he had not seen or spoken to in 25 years.
Note: As part of the annual Week of Prayer for State
Missions and the Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering (September
18-25), the Baptist Message is presenting reports on ongoing missions
work across Louisiana. Information for the articles has been provided
by the Louisiana Baptist Women’s Missions and Ministry Team.
Norris Landry remembers a call he received one
morning – from a friend he had not seen or spoken to in 25 years.
The man had heard Landry’s voice on the radio and
recognized his old friend. He located the number for the program and
called his old acquaintance.
In a nutshell, that is the power of the French radio ministry Louisiana Baptists have conducted for 60 years.
On a regular basis throughout the year, Louisiana
Baptists broadcast the French Baptist Hour on six stations throughout
South Louisiana and on one station in the Nova Scotia area of Canada.
The objective is two-fold – to share the gospel in
the French language to Louisiana residents who still speak the language
and to encourage French-speaking believers to engage in evangelism with
their friends and family.
“Many, many people of French descent have an
opportunity to listen to the gospel (through the radio ministry), …”
says Landry, pastor at Hessmer Baptist Church in Hessmer and host of
the French-speaking radio program. “The French Baptist Hour has a
tremendous potential to reach out, even among the younger generation,
because in recent years, there has been a resurgence of the French
language in South Louisiana.”
Louisiana Baptists launched their French radio
ministry in 1945. Prior to Landry, Louisiana Baptist Convention staff
member Elie Woerner hosted the program for 33 years, Last year, Landry
assumed those duties.
The program is supported through the Georgia
Barnette State Missions Offering. “This ministry has literally grown
beyond its borders,” a state convention spokesperson notes. “By giving
to the Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering, you are given the
opportunity to touch Louisiana and the world.”
The 30-minute French program features prayer, music,
an evangelistic message and a decision time. In addition, Louisiana
Baptists use the program to offer free French Bibles, recordings of the
Gospel of John in French and personal contacts for prayer and
visitation.
“We try to make the program evangelistic to where
the gospel itself is preached, is proclaimed,” Landry emphasizes. “We
try to share with them their need for Christ. And that would be the
greatest need that you could pray for, … to pray that God would touch
hearts and lives, would change lives.
“Also, I try to gear the program to help fellow
believers, fellow Christians, to encourage them in their faith because
I know it’s difficult to live out there in a culture that’s kind of
anti-Christ sometimes or anti-
Christian I should say,” Landry continues. “And it’s
difficult for them, so, I try to gear it to them so they can be
encouraged not only to live the Christian faith but also to share the
gospel with their neighbors.”
Landry understands the need for the French-speaking
ministry – he grew up in a home where the language was spoken
regularly. And he knows that many people in
Louisiana still prefer speaking French instead of English.
He also understands the importance of the financial
support provided by the Georgia Barnette offering and the prayer
support provided by Louisiana Baptists throughout the state. It is what
keeps the focus on the goal of the ministry – to let others know that
true stability in life comes only through Jesus Christ.
“My prayer … is that (all) will come to know peace
and stability in their faith through a personal relationship with Jesus
Christ,” he says. “(And) The French Baptist Hour is there to help them
find that faith and stability.”
To that end, Landry urges persons to support the
Georgia Barnette offering and to pray specifically for the French radio
ministry. “Pray that all who hear the French Baptist Hour will be able
to understand the gospel and have the courage to respond to the
invitation to accept Christ as their savior, …”he says. “Praying for
us is the greatest involvement anyone can have. Praying for us and for
the ministry and the work and giving to the Georgia Barnette State
Missions Offering enables us to continue the broadcast here in
Louisiana and hopefully to other places in the future.”