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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

LACOSBE elects 2025 officers

During its recent meeting, the Louisiana Conference Of Southern Baptist Evangelists elected 2025 officers: Sam Moore, president; Bill Blackmon, vice president; and Nancy Blackmon, secretary/treasurer. … [Read more...]

Former Chinese underground church member celebrates new life

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer LAPLACE, La. (LBM) – Guoybing Tang first came to faith as a member of a Chinese underground church in 2023 but only recently did he publicly celebrate his new life in Christ, having been bap­tized by the First Baptist Church, LaPlace. Tang, who stirred the baptistry waters Feb. 9, was greeted with thunder­ous applause from friends gathered for the service. “It was my happiest day ever,” Tang told the Baptist Message. “Baptism is very important to me, and it represents I’m a true Chris­tian with faith in God. “Everything in my life has now put me in the right direction with God,” he continued. “I have no pressure or no anxiety. Now I have joy.” Tang arrived in the United States seven months after he accepted Christ on April 16, 2023, during a Bible study with an underground church (the location is undisclosed for security purposes). After passing by FBC La­Place in December 2023, he decided to return the next Sunday for a worship ser­vice and has been faithfully attending ever since. During the first “En­glish as a Second Lan­guage” class he attended, Tang met church member Nick James and expressed his desire to be baptized. James and Pastor Shane Newton helped … [Read more...]

LCU holds 5th Annual C. S. Lewis Honors Forum

By Elizabeth Clarke, LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) - Ten Louisiana Christian University honors students presented research at the 5th Annual C.S. Lewis Honors Forum, March 22. “It is always such an honor and privilege to witness the culmination of the years of hard work each of these students has put forth,” said Honors Program Director Sarah Payne. “This year's presentations clearly demonstrated each of these student's commitment to academic scholarship. These students truly embody our motto from Lewis himself – ‘thirst was made for water; inquiry for truth.’ I look with joy to their future impacts as Christian scholars and professionals.” Riley Armstrong, a senior biology and chemistry major from Eunice, presented “Recycled Ground Glass as a Sand Substitute in Potting Soil.” Her study investigated the potential of using recycled glass as a substitute for sand in potting soils to promote environmentally sustainable practices. Glass recycling offers significant environmental benefits, such as reducing air pollution, saving energy and minimizing landfill waste. The research examined whether recycled ground glass can effectively replace sand in soil mixtures without compromising plant growth. Armstrong plans to … [Read more...]

EVANGELISM 101 (Part 3): The Gospel conversation

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Regardless of the soul-winning ap­proach used to spiritually engage someone (Con­frontational, Conversa­tional, Lifestyle, or Rela­tional), each evangelistic effort must eventually narrow down to an in­tentional decision-mak­ing moment. The conversation may begin in several ways depending on whether the opportunity follows a Sunday sermon, an area-wide evangelistic event, a conversation with a family member or a knock-on-the-door initiative. Somone might prefer the Evangelism Explo­sion method of asking, “If you were to die today and stand before God, and He was to ask you, ‘Why should I let you into My Heaven?’, what would you say?” Others might lean toward the F.A.I.T.H. Gospel conversation starter, “In your person­al opinion, what does it take for someone to go to Heaven?” But in the end, the culmination of the sowing and watering, whether brief or over an extended time, must con­clude with reaping – and that involves a discussion about sin and debt, as well as forgiveness and the means to obtain it. Again, there are mul­tiple models to struc­ture this conversation: Continuing Witness Training, Evangelism Explosion, Four Spiritual Laws, … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptists share John 3:16 on 3/16

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Churches around the state heeded a chal­lenge to share John 3:16 on March 16 and saw the Holy Spirit move through mes­sages, mission activities and crusades. Designated as a day for all Louisiana Baptist pastors to preach John 3:16, the initiative aimed to catalyze soul winning across the state. Leading up to March 16, congre­gations were encouraged to follow a special 16-day prayer guide, beginning on March 1, and included a Bible verse to reflect on for each of three recommend­ed times to pray (morning, noon and evening). Lou­isiana joined other state Baptist conventions for the effort, which were coordi­nated through the North American Mission Board. Beauregard, Big Creek, Eastern Louisiana and Ouachita Baptist Associ­ations were among those groups who scheduled evangelistic outreaches throughout the month to coincide with the special day. “I am thankful for every pastor and church par­ticipating in John 3:16 day,” Louisiana Baptist Executive Director Steve Horn told the Baptist Message. “The innova­tive and specific ways that individual churches decided to promote the day was inspiring to see. “A few things that I genuinely believe were … [Read more...]