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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Arnold faithful during 26 years of trials, triumphs

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer GILBERT, La. (LBM) – For 26 years, Bobby Arnold has faithfully served Eu­reka Baptist Church amid his own personal trials. Arnold, who suffered a stroke in April 2020, said while he has faced difficult moments, he never has considered resigning from a church who has support­ed him throughout. “The Lord hasn’t led me to go anywhere else,” Arnold told the Baptist Message. “It’s a definite call and is something that I have been blessed to be a part of for all these years.” Arnold was named a Louisiana Baptist Con­vention Exemplary Bi-vocational Pastor of the Year for his dedication to ministry. Born in Franklin Par­ish in 1949, Arnold gave his heart to Christ as a 17-year-old at the weekly Sunday service at New Hope Baptist Church, Crowville, where he had started attending with his girlfriend at the time, Ruth Weems. A year later, Arnold married Ruth, became a deacon at New Hope Baptist and felt the call to preach the Gospel. How­ever, he denied the call multiple times even amid service as a deacon and lay renewal leader at Wayside Baptist Church, Vicksburg, Mississippi. Finally, at 36, he surren­dered to God’s call and be­gan to fill the pulpit at Tur­key Bluff … [Read more...]

What could the Lord do with your obedience?

By Marc Daniels AVONDALE, La. (LBM) -- I was reminded one morning of how nothing is wasted in the Lord’s economy. I have been pastoring at the same small church in the same hard-soil neighborhood for more than 22 years; and, at times, I get frustrated and wonder if my labor is making any kind of difference. We’re a community-based ministry and I’ve been a neighborhood pastor. Consequently, I often get calls from people I’ve never met, asking if I’d officiate a funeral for someone I don’t know. I try to make myself available as much as possible, but sometimes I feel a little bit hardened towards the idea because it seems such “outreach ministry” is unfruitful. Very few of such situated services I’ve presided over have resulted in people visiting the church, much less led to professions of faith. But I found myself having to repent when I was forced to recognize that the Lord is always at work, and He rewards even the slightest obedience with great blessings. My epiphany resulted from a phone call by a woman wanting to know if someone was available to lead a memorial service. I had to decline because of an out-of-town commitment on the requested date, but I offered to reach out to the other ministers on staff. I … [Read more...]

YEC scheduled for Nov. 19-20

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptist youth and adult leaders are gearing up for the 36th annual Youth Evangelism Celebration, a statewide assembly focused on preparing the next genera­tion to share Christ with the world. Scheduled Nov. 19-20 in the Rapides Parish Coliseum, Alexandria, the largest an­nual gathering of Louisiana Baptists will feature messages by Daryl Jones, founder of Point Ministries, high-energy music, times of fellowship and much more. Last year’s event drew more than 5,300 youth and resulted in 830 decisions for Christ. “We are excited for this year’s lineup,” Louisiana Baptist Youth Strategist Lee Myers said. “I believe God is going to do some amaz­ing things over the course of those couple of days. I’m ask­ing folks to start praying even now before the event! Pray that God’s presence is felt by every person that comes in the building. Pray for those on the program and those in attendance. I really sense big things are going to happen at this event! Don’t miss it!” Caitlin Rolon is one of those who will be making a return trip to YEC. Rolon began coming to the event in 2006 as a student at Simpson Baptist Church and now as an adult … [Read more...]

Pastors to emphasize ‘joy’ during annual conference

By Baptist Message staff ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Organizers of this year’s Louisiana Baptist Pastors Conference in the facilities of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, New Orleans, hope to remind participants, Nov. 13, about the joy of ministry. “Over the last three years of the COVID season, there has been much talk about persevering and not growing weary which is very important,” Pastors Conference President Michael Wood, also pastor of First West, told the Baptist Message. “We want to shed light on what an incredible honor it is to have joy in serving Christ. Each guy will have a different element to share on the theme of joy.” The program will begin, 9:30 a.m., with music led by Nate Jernigan, assistant professor of music and worship, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and others from the seminary, and messages by Leroy Fountain, an LBC church health consultant, and David Allen, professor, Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, Cordova, Tenn. After lunch, the conference will continue, 1:30 p.m., with an afternoon session featuring messages by Ryan Rice, pastor, Connect Church, Algiers; Dean Inserra, pastor, City Church, Tallahassee, Fla.; and Clay Smith, pastor, Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, Marietta, … [Read more...]