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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

LAICU president to speak at LCU Founders’ Day Chapel

By LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) - Eric Turner, president of the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, will speak at Louisiana Christian University's annual Founders’ Day Chapel service, Nov. 7. Turner will share how a Christian liberal arts education informs and empowers young men and women to make a difference—and how important it is for young people to strive to make a positive difference in their world. Turner leads the LAICU’s advocacy and research efforts to navigate the state and federal policy environment on behalf of the association’s 10 private, not-for-profit institutions. He previously served as president and professor of education at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri, where he and his team developed global partnerships with The Baptist Theological Seminary in Santiago, Cuba, adopted market-responsive programming, launched SBU Global as an outgrowth of the strategic plan, Shaping Our Story Together, and restored fiscal health. Turner holds a doctorate in educational policy and leadership from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College, a master’s degree in history from Arkansas State University, and a baccalaureate degree in history and English from William … [Read more...]

Merger breathes new life into Marrero church

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer MARRERO, La. (LBM) – Ames Boulevard Baptist Church had experienced a decline in membership and was looking for “next steps” to reach the community when they approached Cross Culture church about merging in August 2022. The once vibrant congregation had dwindled to 25 members who had seen just one baptism from 2015 to 2022, and they felt Cross Culture could help them better reach the community and ensure its survival for many years to come. After several meetings and much prayer, both congregations finalized the merger and became Cross Community Church at Ames on April 30. “It’s been a whirlwind,” Pastor Troy Gause told the Baptist Message. “People in the neighborhood are starting to come from all different walks of life and the church is having newfound excitement. I’m really excited what God has done and will do.” ANSWERED PRAYER For more than a year, Gause and other leaders of Cross Culture church had prayed for God to provide resources to purchase a new facility and for them to team up with a struggling church for revitalization. Gause in July 2022 was notified by Derek Kitterlin, son-in-law of Ames Boulevard Pastor Steve Foxworth, that the church property … [Read more...]

New Prospect fall festival, cook-off raises $1,368 for GBO

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer DRY PRONG, La. (LBM) – New Prospect Baptist Church recently raised $1,368 for the Georgia Barnette Louisiana Missions Offering during its annual fall festival and cook-off competition featuring many of the state’s iconic dishes. The event, held Oct. 21 on the church’s park track, drew more than 300 members of the community who sampled foods from each of the 13 teams from NPBC and other churches. Their dishes included jambalaya, gumbo, chicken and sausage sauce piquant, sweet potato casserole, crawfish etouffee, pastalaya, roasted pig, shrimp and corn bisque, corn maque choux, red beans and rice, and beignets. After they sampled the food, festival goers then voted by donating money (that was then given to the GBO) for their favorite dish for the People’s Choice Award that was won by a team from Bethel Baptist Church, Colfax. Their winning dish netted $250 alone for the GBO, the annual missions offering named after Louisiana’s first Woman’s Missionary Union director. The event also featured a dessert bar, trunk or treating, an obstacle course, tailgate-style games and Christian contemporary music and prayer walk. “When thinking about how we were going to promote Georgia … [Read more...]