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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Despite heart attacks, stroke, Longoria thankful

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer DERIDDER, La. (LBM) – Evangelist Lyndon Longoria missed a year from the pulpit, 2019- 2020, during a battle with a stroke and other medical conditions, but through those trials he experienced God’s good­ness through the love displayed by thousands, he said. “I never thought about giving up or quitting. I just didn’t know if I would be able to continue to preach as an evange­list,” Longoria told the Baptist Message. “I knew I could still talk and the Lord could still use me to preach, even if I had to preach sitting down-which I did at the begin­ning. “My faith in the faith­fulness of God has been unwavering,” he contin­ued. “The Word of God has become precious to me again, and has fed my heart and my soul. My faith in God and His ability is in a place it has never been before. There are many struggles and I have battled moments of depression, but my faith in God has overcome it all. I have perfect peace that He will finish what He has started.” TRYING MOMENTS April 19, 2019, started like any other day for Longoria, who was preaching at a revival ser­vice in Cordele, Georgia. But the day turned out to be anything but normal. As Longoria began to preach an “assortment” … [Read more...]

Myers returns ‘home’ as LBC youth strategist

ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – A former Louisiana Baptist student minister who moved out of state in 2019 has returned as the youth strategist for Louisiana Baptists. Lee Myers, who began his new role Oct. 1, most recently was the student minister at First Baptist Church, Jonesboro, Arkansas. “Louisiana has always felt like my Jerusalem,” Myers told the Baptist Message. “The opportunity to come back and serve the state is what the Lord wanted me to do.” A native of Jayess, Mississippi, Myers has served 34 years, collectively, with local churches. In addition to his most recent role in Arkansas, Myers was a student minister with congregations in Mississippi (Shady Grove Baptist Church, Ruth, Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, Gloster, West McComb Baptist Church, McComb) and Louisiana (Immanuel Baptist Church, Hammond, First Baptist Church, Zachary, First Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, and Airline Baptist Church, Bossier City). He also has served as minister of assimilation with Cypress BaptistChurch, Benton; a teacher for Pine Hills Academy, Gloster, Mississippi, and Riverdale Christian Academy, Baton Rouge. He has also volunteered on numerous youth ministry planning committees and groups including the Youth Evangelism Celebration … [Read more...]

GBO: Reynolds Scholarship a huge help to collegians

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer VILLE PLATTE, La. (LBM) – For the last 25 years, the Hannah Reynolds Women’s Missions and Ministry Scholarship has given Louisiana Christian University students financial aid as well as encouragement to press on with the Great Commission in their future careers. Throughout the year, WMM associational leaders across the state “adopt” the scholarship recipients. In addition to praying for the students, they also send encouraging cards. Kevin West, pastor of First Baptist Church, Ville Platte, and the father of two of the scholarship recipients, was touched by the prayer cards his children, Ethan and Kamryn, have received during their time at Louisiana Christian University. “With our children going to college, they’re going to go out and graduate one day and be professionals in whatever chosen area (which) for both of them is medical,” West said. “They are going out as Christian doctors, as Christian researchers. They are taking a worldview of Christ out into the world, and everyone that contributed through Georgia Barnette to the WMM scholarship has had an instrumental part in getting them there.” Ethan West said he was impressed the WMM leaders in his association would … [Read more...]

Horn emphasizes need for culture of evangelism

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer WOODWORTH, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptist Executive Director Steve Horn emphasized the need for and results of a culture of evangelism among Louisiana Baptists when he addressed Executive Board members during their Sept. 26 meeting. “By God’s grace, this will always be our priority for us,” Horn said. “I have shared with you and in various ways the idea of a culture of evangelism. This is what we think about. This is what we do. This is what drives us. This is our prayer. “Louisiana is known for its culture,” he said. “Sometimes that’s good. Sometimes that’s not so good. What it would be like if it would be said of us that there’s a culture of  evangelism.” Horn told board members he has been encouraged in several areas of evangelism this year: -- Crossover and Serve Tour, a pair of evangelistic efforts that took place June 9-10 before the 2023 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in New Orleans, saw 336 recorded professions of faith; -- 207 decisions for Christ took place during LBC-sponsored camps at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center, Woodworth; and -- ‘Here for You,’ Louisiana Baptists’ statewide multi-media campaign, resulted another 206 spiritual … [Read more...]