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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

21 people make waves with baptisms at aquapark

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer SHREVEPORT, La. (LBM) – Twenty-one people were obedient in believer’s baptism, making a splash during a recent service at a Shreveport water world. Organized by 29 churches of various denominations in the Shreveport-Bossier City area, the June 24 event at Splash Kingdom drew 156 people who looked on and cheered as each person came in and out of the water. Eric Cunningham, pastor of Narrow Gate Cowboy Church, Vivian (a congregation planted in 2021 by First Baptist Church, Oil City), said the evening was a highlight of his time in ministry. “We didn’t even know this many people would want to get baptized but they kept lining up after the devotion I gave,” Cunningham told the Baptist Message. “The Holy Spirit was really working on people that night and they were excited to have the chance to show others how they had accepted Christ. “With all the things going in the country today, you wonder if people are still looking for truth,” Cunningham said. “That night showed me people still hunger for Christ and we had so many, including a lot of young people, who took part in baptism that night.” The baptisms were part of a follow up event for individuals who made decisions … [Read more...]

Evangelism fuels FBC Leesville’s amazing growth

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer LEESVILLE, La. (LBM) – An emphasis on “out of the box” evangelism has helped bring about a recent uptick in baptisms and worship attendance at First Baptist Church, Leesville. “When people walk into our church, there is a level of excitement of what God is going to do,” Pastor Darin Worthington told the Baptist Message. “Our people are excited about what God is doing. Even though we may be a smaller church in size, God is using us to accomplish so many amazing things for Him.” Since September, the church has celebrated 32 baptisms, compared to eight the previous year; and the most baptisms in any single year for the church, since 2016, when they recorded 19. Moreover, the church has seen growth in Sunday worship attendance, increasing from 100 in January 2022 (when Worthington became pastor) to 200 in early August. Charlene Linton, along with her four children, are among those who have celebrated life in Christ through baptism this year. Linton, who previously accepted Christ as a child but never followed through with baptism, was encouraged to pursue baptism after her children accepted Jesus during an in-home visit from Worthington in early April. Since the … [Read more...]

Horn tells incoming LCU freshman class to share their faith daily

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) - Louisiana Baptist Executive Director Steve Horn told incoming Louisiana Christian University freshman class Saturday, encouraging to share their faith everyday on campus and beyond. “If the Gospel is going to advance, it’s going to take advance because everybody takes the Gospel,” Horn told the students inside Guinn Auditorium, Aug. 19. “Every Christian is a witness. That’s how we create a culture of evangelism.” Horn’s message was part of Welcome Week that began Aug. 16 at LCU. Throughout that time, 249 freshman have participated in service-learning projects, moving into their dormitories, a Baptist Collegiate Ministry worship service and more. Basing his message on Acts 8, Horn said the early Christians and not the “professional Christian’s” were the first ones God sent out to share the Gospel outside Jerusalem. Horn said this can be accomplished if Christ followers are prayerful, bold, relational and prepared. He shared with the students several evangelistic tools they can use when sharing the Good News of Christ: Life On Mission app (uses a simple Gospel presentation); Hereforyou.org (Louisiana Baptists’ multi-media approach to share … [Read more...]

In wake of McLaurin resignation – pray

By Steve Horn ALEXANDRIA, La. - News broke late Thursday afternoon that Willie McLaurin, the current interim president and CEO of the SBC Executive Committee, has resigned. Willie resigned in the wake of the discovery that he had misrepresented his academic degrees on his resume. Many of us are devastated. We are devastated because we had grown to trust Willie and believed he was the right man at the right time to lead us as Southern Baptists in this position. We are devastated because, once again, a leader’s sin is exposed to the watching world. So where do we go from here? That question will be answered by the Search Team and the Executive Committee of the SBC. They are starting over. They will need time to grieve, process, and begin their prayerful search again. In the meantime, Louisiana Baptists have a specific assignment. Our assignment is to pray. Pray for our own Philip Robertson. Philip is the new chairman of the Executive Committee, having been elected in June. He is not new to the Executive Committee and he is not new as a leader, but he is new to being the chairman of this committee. His role will be great in this season of securing another interim leader. I have known Philip since we were in Seminary, 30 … [Read more...]

GBO: 30 BCM students sowed Gospel seeds during GOLA VBS

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – A frequently asked back-to-school question is “how did you spend your summer vacation?” Thirty students from the state’s Baptist Collegiate Ministries can answer, “I helped lead Vacation Bible schools (VBS) in Louisiana and Wyoming.” Celebrating a 14th year of summer service, GOLA (Go Louisiana) VBS is an emphasis by Louisiana Baptists’ collegiate ministry that allows college students to serve on teams who share God’s love through what is the largest evangelistic outreach (VBS) of the year for many congregations. The teams typically conduct VBS for churches with low baptisms and who could not hold such an outreach without the help of the GOLA volunteers. Five teams of five to eight students each served at churches around the state, June 1-July 15, while another team of six students conducted VBS in Wyoming, June 7-July 30. Louisiana Baptist Collegiate Ministry Team Director Mark Robinson said the experience allowed the students to gain experience working with children and churches to advance the Gospel. “They saw faith in action through practical, everyday ministry with children,” Robinson told the Baptist Message. “From a church’s perspective, … [Read more...]

Horn to address LCU freshmen Aug. 19

By LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) - Louisiana Baptist Executive Director Steve Horn will address the incoming freshmen class at Louisiana Christian University, Aug. 18, 9 a.m. inside Guinn Auditorium. Horn will share simple ways for students to share their faith with others as part of Wildcat Welcome Week activities. “We are partnering with our Baptist family to support this emphasis for creating a culture of evangelism on campus and beyond,” said LCU President Rick Brewer. As students grow in their ability to share their faith with others, Brewer said, he expects the impact will extend beyond the campus. “We recognize our campus is a mission field and wholeheartedly embrace the priority for establishing a culture of evangelism at LCU,” Brewer said. “We are grateful for Steve Horn’s vision and availability to challenge our incoming freshmen with this powerful idea this year.”   … [Read more...]

MABTS’ Allen to headline E4+ conference

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary Professor David Allen is the keynote speaker for the 2023 E4+ Preaching Conference, Sept. 19, which will be held in the facilities of the First Baptist Church in Pineville. Allen, who serves as the seminary’s distinguished professor of practical theology and dean of the Adrian Rogers Center for Biblical Preaching in Cordova, Tennessee, will bring messages during three sessions of the annual conference. In addition to serving as a professor, Allen is founder and editor-in-chief of the new podcast and website, Preaching Coach (preachingcoach.com), which trains and mentors pastors and other ministry leaders to strengthen their preaching skills. This year’s conference also will feature breakout sessions for pastors and directors of youth, media/ sound, music, children, as well as ministers’ wives. Breakout sessions for pastors will include such topics as leadership and preaching through certain books of the Bible, and will be led by professors from Louisiana Christian University, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, as well as Waylon Bailey, pastor of First Baptist … [Read more...]

SBC CP, designated giving down for July

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor NASHVILLE, Tenn. (LBM) – The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee released the July 2023 financial summary, August 4, reporting that gifts for the month to SBC causes through the Cooperative Program and via designated giving were down 8.19 percent and 15.63 percent, respectively, compared to July 2022. Year-to-date figures also showed both funding channels continued to be below 2022 levels. From October 1, 2022, through July 31, 2023, total SBC CP contributions were 4.91 percent lower compared to the same timeframe during the last fiscal year. Likewise, combined designated giving was 3.38 less for the same months, with both of the two largest funds down compared to last year. The Lottie Moon Christmas Offering was off 4.96 percent, and the Annie Armstrong Easter Offering was lower by 0.49 percent (less than one-half of a percentage point). LBC Giving The national report showed monthly giving by Louisiana Baptists to SBC causes in July was down 31.83 percent through CP and 51.36 percent for special offerings. However, the yearly data was less volatile. Louisiana Baptist contributions for 2023 through the CP were off slightly, 0.16 percent (less than … [Read more...]

Louisiana Notables

EDITOR’S NOTE: Do you have a Revival, Homecoming, a new pastor, a community outreach or a concert? The Baptist Message would love to share your church news with the rest of the state. It is very easy to do, just send in your information (who, what, where and when) to philip@baptistmessage.com or call 318.449.4345. To get your event in the paper, please submit your information three to four weeks prior to the event. ON THE MOVE Mark Norwood is the new pastor at Green Oaks Baptist Church, Merryville. Nancy Huey is the new children’s minister at Cheniere Baptist Church, West Monroe. Billy, wife Linda, Edwards is the new pastor at Humble Baptist Church, Glenmora. Hannah Greenwood is the new worship leader at First Baptist Church, Calhoun. James Davison is the new minister of evangelism and missions at Fair Park Baptist Church, West Monroe. Dan Teed resigned as pastor of New Hope Batist Church, Monroe. Liam Gordon is the new pastor at Oak Grove Baptist Church, Clearwater. Wade Allen resigned as pastor of Pilgrim Home Baptist Church, Benton. Kurt Zortman is the new pastor at Elm Grove Baptist Church, Bossier City. HOMECOMING First Baptist Church, Leesville: 125th Homecoming, September 17, 10:30 a.m. … [Read more...]