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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

New advisory council seeks partnerships with LBC ministers statewide

By Elizabeth Clarke, LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) - Louisiana Christian University announces the Minister’s Advisory Council, an initiative to unite church ministers and staff with LCU to equip future generations for Kingdom service and cultural impact. “We want to better communicate with the churches who we are and what we are doing,” said David Jeffreys, vice president of Denominational and Church Relations. “At the same time, we are seeking feedback and valuable insight from the churches to help us do a better job at reaching Louisiana Baptist youth.” Jeffreys said the churches and the university are all a part of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, so it just makes sense to get input from those who lead the churches and youth groups across the state. The initial goal is to partner with 100 ministers statewide, Jeffreys said, and more than 40 have already signed up. “I joined the council because of my love for Louisiana Christian University,” said Craig Beeman, pastor of First Baptist Church of Winnsboro. “I want to see it thrive in all aspects. If I can contribute in any way, I will do my best to ensure that a network of pastors across the state helps Louisiana Baptists never forget the greatness of our … [Read more...]

Our hope in even the difficult times: God will sustain us

By Steve Horn ALEXANDRIA, La. - Reading the Prophet Habakkuk today helped me. And from that reading I share these thoughts Is there any hope for America? If you are like me, you are sad today. You are sad at the murder of Charlie Kirk on the heels of the murder of a young Ukranian woman, Iryna Zarutska, who was murdered in an unprovoked attack in Charlotte, North Carolina. You are sad at numerous lockdowns in schools across America today. You are sad because of the memory of 9-11-2001. If you are like me, you are not only sad, but you are also asking questions. In 1928 one of our American submarines, S4, sank off the eastern coast on a dive after routine maintenance work. Divers made contact through Morse code. After initial exchange of how many on board, what is your condition etc., the divers received the message from those on board, “Is there any hope?” Amid the circumstances, what a penetrating question! Many are still asking that question today about America. Is there any hope? We are not the first people who have asked this question of their nation or their culture? We are not the only culture who has faced a crisis of government or a crisis of morality. Habakkuk asked this question of his nation. … [Read more...]

Jones to be LBC presidential nominee

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer PRAIRIEVILLE, La. (LBM) – Kirk Jones, pastor of Fellowship Church, Prairieville, will be nominated for the office of president with the Louisiana Baptist Convention during the 2025 annual meeting of church messengers. Bill Dye, pastor of North Monroe Baptist Church, shared with the Baptist Message, Sept. 10, his intention to make the nomination. The yearly gathering of Louisiana Baptists is scheduled to be held in the facilities of the Randolph Riverfront Center, Alexandria, Nov. 11. STATEMENT OF SUPPORT Dye commended Jones’ character during the 15 years he has known him. “I’ve watched him lead his church through a variety of challenges,” Dye told the Baptist Message. “Kirk is a visionary leader with character.  He not only wants to do the right thing; he wants to do things the right way. And God has blessed that. He referenced the growth of Fellowship Church, which has grown from a few people who met in Jones’ living room in 2001 to a campus of more than 1,400 with 112 baptisms in 2025. “I know that numbers don’t always tell you what’s going on in a church,” Dye said. “The movement of the Spirit is more than buildings, bodies, and budgets.  Some of our … [Read more...]

Remembering 9/11 and the power of prayer in times of crisis

After the twin towers fell 24 years ago, President George W. Bush stood on a pile of rubble at Ground Zero with a megaphone in hand and told a crowd of weary rescue workers “America today is on bended knee in prayer.” The country had suffered the worst terrorist attack on American soil, claiming nearly 3,000 lives, and was shaken to its core — but it also was shaken to prayer. … [Read more...]