By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Applications are open for Louisiana Baptist churches who need a team of college students to coordinate their Vacation Bible School this summer. In its 15th year, GOLA (Go Louisiana) VBS is an emphasis by the Louisiana Baptist Collegiate Ministry that allows college students to serve on teams who spend the summer sharing God’s love through what is the largest evangelistic outreach of the year for many congregations. Churches in which the teams conduct a VBS normally have low baptisms and would have trouble coordinating such an event without the help of the GOLA VBS team. GOLA Strategist Ashley Jones expects to field two teams, each will comprise five college students. She also is seeking to hire two 23-25-year-old individuals to serve as team leaders. In addition to VBS, GOLA will utilize college students in three other areas of service this summer: as church staff, North American missionaries and international missionaries. Jones said the students who serve on GOLA teams are a blessing to both students and churches alike. “Our students are excited to serve, and we love our Louisiana Baptist churches,” Jones told the Baptist Message. “We want … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer LAFAYETTE, La. (LBM) – Pastor James Pritchard knew God could do something miraculous when he scheduled a four-day revival for February, but was amazed, nonetheless, when 56 baptisms took place during the final night of the revival meeting at First Baptist Church, Lafayette. A crowd of more than 900 cheered as individuals from 6 to 95 years old stepped either into a horse trough or the baptistery inside the worship center to symbolize death, burial and resurrection with Christ, Feb. 9. “What happened was the answered prayer of what we hoped the Lord would do,” Pritchard told the Baptist Message. “When He showed up like that, all we could say was ‘God showed up, look what God did!’” Leslie Hale was among the first to be baptized. During the first revival session, Feb. 6, Hale was convicted of her need to come forward and declare her faith in Christ. “It was like someone was pushing me forward that morning and I was obedient,” Hale said. “Once I came out of the baptismal waters, I felt completely clean. Seeing so many people baptized is something that is hard to describe, and I can’t wait to see what the Lord does with all of us who participated in baptism.” PRAYED … [Read more...]

By Craig Franklin, Baptist Message special JONESVILLE, La. (LBM)-- When 19-year-old Daniel Bordelon of Jonesville, Louisiana, agreed to travel to Ohio with two men he had met in an internet chat room, he had no idea what was awaiting him. But his father, Emile Bordelon, a Louisiana Baptist pastor, did, and he launched a rescue mission for his son from what the elder Bordelon described as a “sex-trafficking abduction.” The rescue, which the elder Bordelon described as miraculous, began on Feb. 8, when a text from Daniel to his mother, Cindy, revealed he was riding in a vehicle to Alexandria along LA 28 bound for the Alexandria International Airport with two men, and that he was scared. Upon learning of his son’s situation, Bordelon, pastor of Clayton Baptist Church, Clayton, and owner of Emile Bordelon Transport, Jonesville, immediately took to social media to call upon everyone to pray for his son. He also contacted Catahoula Parish Sheriff Toney Edwards who launched law enforcement efforts in the rescue operation. Hours later, Bordelon believes, a miracle occurred, when the plane bound for Ohio from Alexandria was mysteriously delayed, allowing just enough time to catch up with Daniel and bring him safely … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – For the last five years, Mike Shumock has helped restore numerous Louisiana Baptist churches as Gospel mission centers by leading the rebuild or repair of their facilities. Shumock is set to retire Feb. 28 as the mission builder strategist for Louisiana Baptists, but his calling to help churches with construction projects is far from over. “I realize God gifts everyone,” Shumock told the Baptist Message. “God gifted me to build and use my hands and come alongside and work with people in need. It’s satisfying to know without a doubt people who needed help rebuilding were able to fulfill that through the efforts of myself and so many volunteers who had a common love and that is to help others in Jesus’ name.” CALLED Shumock’s journey began in 1974 at Wade Baptist Church, Moss Point, Mississippi, when he realized he was a sinner and needed to surrender his life to Jesus. A year later, he accepted the call to ministry and became the church’s youth minister. For the next four decades, Shumock combined his passion for construction with a love for ministry. Shumock worked for several construction companies in the early 1980s, before he pastored … [Read more...]