By Laura Fielding, International Mission Board RICHMOND, Va. (BP) - Missionary doctor Wana Ann Gibson Fort, 91, died Aug. 31 in Baton Rouge. Fort and her husband, the late Milton "Giles" Fort Jr., served with the then-called Foreign Mission Board as pioneer missionary doctors at Sanyati Baptist Hospital in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). At this hospital, Fort and her husband helped launch a spiritual awakening through medical missions. The Forts, appointed as missionaries in 1952, led countless patients to Christ. "We were committed to being God's hands of mercy and healing to souls and bodies," she once said. She and her husband raised five sons in Zimbabwe. Three have served or continue to serve as missionaries with the International Mission Board. Two of the Forts' sons are medical doctors. "Mom lived out the reality of her faith," said Gordon Fort, one of Wana Ann's sons and IMB senior ambassador. "As wife, momma, teacher, doctor, women's worker, and serving missions support functions, she demonstrated what it means to live a life of obedience to the Master. It has been our incredible privilege to have been a part of her life's journey." During the Forts' missionary service in Africa, the Shona people … [Read more...]
Eastwood Baptist Church places blue cross on worship center building to honor fallen law enforcement officers
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer HAUGHTON – In the wake of recent fatal shootings of law enforcement officers in Louisiana, Eastwood Baptist Church has erected a cross that lights up as the color blue. While the 10-foot tall cross remains blue, the congregation hopes those who pass by will not only notice the bright colors but remember to pray for and honor those policemen, sheriff’s deputies and others serving them in law enforcement. “We figured anything we can do to give recognition to our fellow officers is the right thing to do,” said John Burnes, chairman of the leadership team at Eastwood Baptist Church. “In Louisiana, our fallen officers have a target on themselves. The more we can get people to realize it’s about praying and doing other things to minister to policemen rather than shoot them, the better off we will be as a society.” For Burnes, honoring law enforcement hits close to home. His brother has served as a member of the Bossier City police department for 26 years and is a member at Eastwood. Burnes also has relatives and friends who live in Sunset, where police officer Henry Nelson from the south Louisiana community lost his life responding to a disturbance call on Wednesday … [Read more...]
Janet Huckabee discusses prayer, the state of America during visit to Baptist Building, LC
By Message Staff ALEXANDRIA/PINEVILLE – The wife of presidential candidate Mike Huckabee visited Central Louisiana today, sharing her thoughts on the need for prayer, the condition of America and her husband’s bid for the highest elected office in the United States. Janet Huckabee’s Wednesday morning began early as she did a radio interview at a local station, attended the prayer meeting at the Louisiana Baptist Building in Alexandria and ending her morning by talking to a group of students and pastors at Louisiana College in Pineville. During her message at the Baptist Building, Huckabee said if everyone in the room had a chance to sit at the table with George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and Jesus Christ and discuss the state of the country, what would they say to them. “Would you be able to say anything at all and would we be able to honestly say we are doing everything in our power to give our children and ,yes, our grandchildren back a better America then where we grew up,” said Huckabee, a native of Lake Charles. “I think I would probably say we might not be able to do that.” Later, Huckabee shared the importance of having a team of 10 ladies praying for her on a daily basis. This team prays for such requests … [Read more...]
Louisiana Notables
ON THE MOVE Harry, wife Brooke, Brown is the new pastor at First Baptist Church, Ringgold. Justin Hardin is the new minister of youth at Beulah Land Baptist Church, Haughton. Brandon, wife Lacey, Lewis is new minister of youth at First Baptist Church, Haughton. Tom Descant is the new associate pastor to families at Hillcrest Baptist Church, Franklinton. Scott Teutsch is the new interim pastor at Plain Dealing Baptist Church, Plain Dealing. Tom Cole is the new music minister at Shreve City, Shreveport. Jeff Triplett is the new youth minister at First Baptist Church, Haynesville. Joe Bob Alexander is the new interim pastor at Ferry Lake Baptist Church, Oil City. Mark Caruso is the new associate pastor/youth minister at Pine Grove Baptist Church, Livingston. HOMECOMING Red River Baptist Church, Benton: 166th anniversary and homecoming celebration, Aug. 30, 10:45 a.m. Speaker: Wayne Dubose. Morning worship celebration will be followed by dinner on the grounds. All former members, pastors and staff are welcome to attend. Pastor: Josh Cagle. Bethel Baptist Church, Colfax: Homecoming, Sunday, Aug. 30, 10:45 a.m. Following the morning service there will be covered-dish dinner and fellowship in the Family Life Center. … [Read more...]
GBO provides needed support for missions and ministries
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer In the midst of challenging economic times, supporting missions and ministries in the state can prove difficult. However, over the last 10 years Louisiana Baptists have demonstrated a strong commitment to state missions by their growing support of the Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering. The offering has gone from approximately $1.2 million in 2005 to just under $2 million in 2013 [thanks in part to a large one-time gift], and $1.6 million in 2014. “Louisiana Baptists want to be a part of reaching the world and North America,” said David Hankins, executive director for Louisiana Baptists. “But when it comes to reaching those living inside our borders, it becomes personal. They want to do whatever needs to be done to reach the estimated 2 million people who don’t know Jesus.” “Be Something” taken from Ephesians 5:1, where Paul encourages the believers living in Ephesus to “be imitators of Christ,” is the theme for this year’s offering. The offering is named after Georgia Barnette, the first elected and paid WMU executive director/treasurer in the state. She would travel by boat, pirogue, horse and buggy, and train from her home in New Orleans to other areas of Louisiana to visit … [Read more...]
Offering multisite as a strategy for church revitalization
By Ken Schroeder, Pastor, First Baptist Mandeville What I’m offering today may not set well with many, but I believe it must be said. I’m a pastor who is becoming increasingly frustrated. I’m not frustrated in my ministry. In fact, God has privileged me to serve in a gracious fellowship of believers that affords me the opportunities to preach and to lead the congregation to fulfill its particular mission in our community and beyond. So why am I frustrated? I am frustrated because all around me I hear of the increasing number of declining and dying churches that represent only a portion of the churches in the Southern Baptist Convention have stopped growing. To be sure, some churches will decline because the communities in which they are have declined in population. However, this is not the case for most of the ones I know. And if something does not change within these churches that they will continue to decline and will eventually cease to exist. This grieves our Lord, and it should grieve all believers. Recently our denomination has focused much attention on church revitalization, and I am glad that we have done so. However, some have the mistaken idea that if we can infuse a declining church with some financial aid, some … [Read more...]
In wake of videos, Louisiana, two other states, defund Planned Parenthood
By Staff, Baptist Message BATON ROUGE – Louisiana is among three states that have eliminated state funding for Planned Parenthood. After Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal announced the state’s Department of Health and Hospitals was canceling its Medicaid contract with Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast as of Aug. 3, Alabama and New Hampshire followed just a few days later. New Hampshire’s Executive Council made its decision to terminate the state’s contract on Aug. 5 while Alabama ended its Medicaid agreement with Planned Parenthood on Aug. 6. While some states have canceled contracts with Planned Parenthood, supporters of defunding in the U.S. Senate fell short in their attempt Aug. 3. Senators voted 53-46 to bring to the floor a bill to eliminate federal funds for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) and its affiliates. While a majority of senators favored consideration of the proposal, the attempt to invoke cloture, as it is known, fell short of the 60 votes needed to begin debate on the legislation and establish a path to its passage. “In recent weeks, it has been shocking to see reports of the alleged activities taking place at Planned Parenthood facilities across the country,” Jindal said in a news release. … [Read more...]
New church plant Boots N Saddles uses horses, riding to share Gospel
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer FOLSOM – Addison Hill steps up onto the quarter horse, glowing with excitement. Moments later, the 11 year old rounds the pin inside the Good Guys Farm arena. A girl of few words, this first-time horse rider communicates the feelings of the other 15 youth present on a humid summer evening in south Louisiana. “It’s fun and different,” Hill said. “I don’t have a horse myself and finally get to ride one, so I’m pretty excited.” Fifteen minutes later, the horse riding stops momentarily while Pastor Louis Husser brings a message, not only about the horse, but the hope of Jesus Christ. Riding his team roping/heel horse, Husser brings a 20-minute ‘Sermon on the Mount,’ mixing stories about the relationship of trust and voice command he has with his horse with sharing details about how to have a relationship with Christ. “We’ve built a relationship where I expect him to recognize my voice,” Husser tells a crowd of 55. “I’m going to be patient with him so he’ll hear my voice. “How you hear from God is very simple,” he continues. “God will speak to us through His word, through the Bible. If we listen, God’s word will tell how to have a relationship with Him.” This is the fourth time this … [Read more...]
Fred Lowery headlines 2015 E4 Preaching Conference
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – A former president of both the Louisiana Baptist Convention and Southern Baptist Convention Pastors’ Conference is the keynote speaker for the seventh annual E4 Preaching Conference. Fred Lowery, who is pastor emeritus of First Baptist Church in Bossier City, will bring messages during three sessions of the conference Sept. 18 at First Baptist Church Pineville. In addition to Lowery’s messages and music by the First Baptist Pineville praise team, the conference will also feature breakout sessions on such topics as Preaching Jude, Preaching the Story of David and Goliath, and Three Essentials for Effective Ministry. Professors from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary will lead the breakout sessions. Those attending the conference will have the opportunity to win numerous giveaways, valued at a total of $5,000, thanks to the North American Mission Board, LifeWay, and friends of the E4 Conference. Logos Bible software will also be on hand to present information about their software that helps pastors in preparation for sermons. The E4 Conference began in 2009 with a vision to exemplify, encourage, equip and empower our … [Read more...]
Brazil mission trip sees 3,500 accept Christ as their Savior
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer MANAUS, Brazil – Even a battle with cancer could not keep Wayne Jenkins from helping lead his 31st consecutive mission trip to Brazil. “I’ve been doing this 31 years and I couldn’t see me not going,” Jenkins said. Jenkins, who serves as evangelism and church growth director for Louisiana Baptists, was among 162 men and women who were on mission in Manaus, Brazil, as part of the Louisiana Baptist-led evangelism outreach in the country. While there, the teams participated in street evangelism, puppets, Vacation Bible Schools, drama, sports clinics, construction of churches, BMX demonstrations and medical, dental and eye clinics. The majority of those ministering in Brazil were from Louisiana, though a handful came from Canada and states including Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, Oregon, Texas and Utah. By the end of the group’s mission trip, 3,500 people accepted Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Among those who went on the trip was Brad Bennett, who led the BMX and gospel presentations. Bennett is president and founder of Real Encounter Ministry of Springfield, Mo. “We counted it a blessing to be able to work with the Louisiana Baptist Convention on the mission trip to … [Read more...]
