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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

First Houma credits prayer for wave of baptisms

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer HOUMA, La. (LBM) – Pastor Steve Folmar baptized at least one new convert during Sunday morning worship services from March 7-June 6 at the First Baptist Church, Houma, and 76 collectively since January. If that pace continues the church will record the most baptisms in a year since Folmar became pastor in 1999, when he baptized 89 new believers. “This was unexpected, and we had no clue this was coming,” Folmar told the Baptist Message. “After five to six weeks we began to sense God was up to something unique. “Our people are loving what God is doing every Sunday with the baptisms,” he continued. “They are excited and come ready to applaud every time someone is baptized.” Ashley Golmon is among those who has shared her testimony through baptism. Golmon first attended worship services at First Baptist Houma in 2014 with her husband, Shane, and for the next seven years many at the church poured into her spiritual truths and on April 18 she finally surrendered her life to Christ. Two weeks later, she stirred the baptistery waters. “Over the years I have felt like I needed to do more, and it was an inner struggle because I was raised in the Catholic Church,” she said. … [Read more...]

LBC seeks resolutions, nominees for committees, boards

By Staff, Baptist Message ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) — Louisiana Baptists are invited to recommend candidates to serve on state convention boards and committees, and, are asked to submit resolutions for possible consideration by messengers at the 2021 Louisiana Baptist Convention. COMMITTEES The Louisiana Baptist Committee on Committees will be conducting its work early this fall to fill 17 openings on five state convention committees: Credentials; Moral and Social Concerns; Nominations; Order of Business; and Resolutions. Nominations should be sent not later than Aug. 17 to Jake Roudkowski, a member of First Baptist Church, Mandeville, who is the Committee on Committees chair. Please forward your recommendations via email, jaker@nobts,edu, or the U.S. Mail, Dr. Jake Roudkowski, 78689 Hwy. 25, Folsom, LA 70437. BOARDS The Louisiana Baptist Committee on Nominations will begin its work, also in early fall, to fill 22 vacancies on the LBC Executive Board as well as the trustee bodies of the Louisiana College, Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and Family Ministries, Baptist Message, and Baptist Foundation. Nominations should be sent not later than Aug. 17 to Philip Robertson, the pastor of Philadelphia Baptist Church, … [Read more...]

LC welcomes largest freshman class in school history

By staff PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – Louisiana College rolled out the welcome mat Aug. 12 for the largest incoming class in in the institution’s 115-year history, 350 freshmen. Upperclassmen and faculty members assisted the freshmen as they moved into various dormitories on campus. Local churches and businesses also were on hand for a block party on the campus lawn during Move-in Day. “I am so grateful for the favor of the Lord on Louisiana College,” LC President Rick Brewer said. “All our faculty, staff and I enjoyed helping our freshman get on campus and meet our new Wildcats and welcome back our returning ones. It’s going to be a blessed year.” Brewer also said he was excited to welcome 41 international students among the large freshman class who arrived on campus. “The most important thing is that families, parents, pastors and others are realizing the value of Christian education as a college that looks and interprets culture through the lens of scripture instead of interpreting the scripture through the lens of culture,” Brewer told the Baptist Message. Michelle Iroh, a freshman from Saskatchewan, Canada, was excited about suiting up for the school’s volleyball team and getting accustomed to life in the United … [Read more...]

Bridges to be LBC president nominee

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Reggie Bridges, pastor of the Temple Baptist Church in Ruston, will be nominated for president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention during the 2021 annual meeting. Eddie Wren, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Rayville and a past LBC president, alerted the Baptist Message, August 18, of his intentions to make the nomination, specifically highlighting Bridges’s “heart for evangelism.” The LBC annual meeting is scheduled to be held Nov. 16 in the North Monroe Baptist Church. STATEMENT OF SUPPORT Wren said he met Bridges in 2014 “on a vision trip to Los Angeles as we journeyed out west to consider supporting a church plant in Burbank, California,” adding that Bridges is “active in evangelism at home, too.” “Reggie has proven himself to be a servant leader of Louisiana Baptists as he has served our state well at all levels of Southern Baptist Life,” Wren also emphasized. In support of his statement, Wren listed Bridges’s denominational service with the Committee on Committees for the Southern Baptist Convention, as well as his 2007-2013 term on the LBC Executive Board (Bridges also is serving a term now, that runs through 2022). Wren also … [Read more...]