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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

LC named ‘Top 30 Christian College’

By Staff, Wildcats media PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) -- Louisiana College has been named a Top 30 Christian College by BestValueSchools.org, a research and resource group committed to helping prospective students and families find the best colleges and universities that meet their educational needs and maximize the student experience. Louisiana College President Rick Brewer said he is pleased for the college to be recognized nationally by BestValueSchools.org. “The Best Value School ranking validates the efforts of LC’s world-class faculty, students and staff,” he said. “We are grateful for this ranking as it demonstrates our commitment to Christ-centered academic excellence, our affordability, our diversity, and our unparalleled commitment to teaching." Brewer praised the faculty and staff for this prestigious ranking. “It is a privilege to serve alongside so many wonderful colleagues and to serve the student body of Louisiana College as we achieve our mission together of preparing graduates and delivering a transformational Christian higher education experience,” he said. BestValueSchools.org uses tuition costs, graduation rates, student-to-faculty rations, and other statistics from the U.S. Department of Education as … [Read more...]

NLBA ‘Call to Prayer’ slated for Jan. 31

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer BOSSIER CITY, La. (LBM) – Pastors and congregation members will ask God to intervene for a nation facing uncertain times during the Northwest Louisiana Baptist Association’s sixth annual “Call to Prayer” Jan. 31, 6 p.m., at Airline Baptist Church, Bossier City. “Our churches will come together to ask God to create in me a clean heart, create in us a holy church, create in civil authorities righteousness and integrity, and create healing in those who are broken & hurting,” Director of Missions Lane Moore told the Baptist Message. Additionally, the Call to Prayer will include a special emphasis on health care workers. A nurse and physician from Willis-Knighton Health System in Shreveport/Bossier City will share words of appreciation to the association, and participants will have an opportunity to express their gratitude for the dedication and hard work of health care workers throughout COVID-19. While COVID-19 restrictions will prevent participants from gathering in small groups around the worship center, Moore said the spirit of prayer will be the same as previous Call to Prayer events. “We have so much to pray for in this current time in which we live,” Moore said. “Lord … [Read more...]

ULM students now share Christ, not just room

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer MONROE, La. (LBM) – Matthew Hurst was a long-time skeptic of Christianity with little desire to follow the ways of the Lord when he met his roommate, Jonathan Jenkins, in August. Soon afterward, the two University of Louisiana-Monroe students developed a friendship that God used to soften Hurst’s heart to the Gospel. Through a series of spiritual conversations, Jenkins, a member of the Well Church in Monroe, answered Hurst’s questions about Jesus, causing Hurst to become a fully devoted follower of Christ. Hurst, along with three other new converts, shared about their transformations during a special baptism/one-year anniversary service attended by 51 people at the Well Church Jan. 3. “Seeing Jonathan’s passion, strength and faith in Christ along with answering all the questions reopened my eyes,” Hurst told the Baptist Message. “It lit a fire in me, and I started reading the Bible every morning and became motivated to learn who God truly is. “It was actually a little nerve racking to be baptized because of everybody watching, but easy at the same time because they were all excited for me,” Hurst said. “All glory goes to God in that moment of going in the water and coming … [Read more...]

Student night opens ECON 2021, Jan. 24

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer SHREVEPORT, La. (LBM) – Churches throughout the state are encouraged to pray for the youth expected to attend the upcoming Student Night set for the evening prior to the upcoming Louisiana Baptist Convention Evangelism Conference’s first session. Student Night, scheduled for 6 p.m., Jan. 24, at Summer Grove Baptist Church in Shreveport, will feature an encouraging message by evangelist Luke Hockenjos and music by the Jason Lovins Band. Hockenjos will share about how Jesus set him free from a lifestyle of alcohol and drug abuse and suicidal thoughts. He is a member of First Baptist Church in Haughton and founder of Give ‘em Jesus evangelistic ministry. Brandon Lewis, youth ministry strategist for Louisiana Baptists, said social distancing will be observed to ensure safety of participants. “We are really excited about Student Night at ECON and hope that shifting to Sunday evening will make it easier for area youth groups to attend,” Lewis told the Baptist Message. “It will be a great opportunity for students to invite their friends to an event where the Gospel will be shared clearly.” ECON will take place Jan. 25-26 at Summer Grove Baptist Church and will feature messages by … [Read more...]

ERLC’s Moore asks Trump to resign

By Will Hall, Message executive editor NASHVILLE, Tenn. (LBM) – The Religion News Service, a secular outlet based at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, reported Jan. 10 that Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, called on President Trump to resign. “Mr. President, people are dead,” Moore tweeted Jan. 8. “The Capitol is ransacked. There are 12 dangerous days for our country left. Could you please step down and let our country heal?” Moore’s tweet followed the riot and break-in at the Capitol by hundreds of attendees who were among 8,000 or so participants at a Trump rally, Jan. 6, in Washington, D.C. The RNS described Moore as an “outspoken Never Trumper,” referencing Moore’s insult of Trump as an “arrogant huckster” and Trump’s retort, calling Moore “a nasty guy with no heart!” In articles he published in the Washington Post and New York Times in 2016, Moore’s opposition to Trump led him also to insult Southern Baptist Trump supporters. He subsequently apologized twice (December 2016, March 2017) after hundreds of churches left the SBC or withheld funding from the Cooperative Program, the primary channel of financial support for … [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 weeks prior to the event. ON THE MOVE John McCatherty is the interim pastor at Ferry Lake Baptist Church, Oil City. REVIVAL First Baptist Church, Homer: Revival, January 17-20, 6:30 p.m. Evangelist: Bill Britt. Worship: WeRCalled. Pastor: Brian Thurman. Emmanuel Baptist Church, Shreveport: Harvest Day, January 24. Evangelist: Sam Moore. Pastor: Chad Harbarger. First Baptist Church, Keithville: Harvest Sunday, January 24, 10:15 a.m. Evangelist: Bill Britt. Pastor: Mike Stowell. First Baptist Church, Starks: One Day Revival Event; January 31, 11:15 a.m. Evangelist: Bill Britt. Pastor: Ron Butler. Goodwill Baptist Church, Oak Grove: Revival, February-7-10. Evangelist/Worship: Mackey Willis Family. Pastor: Lucas House. Sweetwater Baptist Church, Quitman: Revival, February 28-March 3. Evangelist: Bill Britt. Pastor: Wilton … [Read more...]

Georgia Pastor Mike Stone to be nominated for SBC president

By Will Hall, Message executive editor VILLA RICA, Ga. (TCI) – Mike Stone, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Blackshear, Georgia, “will be nominated in June to be the next president of the Southern Baptist Convention,” according to a letter released Jan 13. Kevin Williams, pastor of Villa Rica Baptist Church, Villa Rica, Georgia, and president of the Georgia Baptist Convention, released the announcement to The Christian Index, the state convention’s news service. The 2021 SBC Annual Meeting will be held in Nashville, Tennessee, June 15-16. STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT “At this critical moment in our history, Southern Baptists need to be led by a trusted local church pastor with strong convictions about the sufficiency of Scripture, a passion for evangelism, and deep experience in the work of our Convention,” Williams wrote. “Pastor Mike Stone is a trusted leader among Georgia Baptists and I believe he is the kind of experienced pastor and statesman Southern Baptists need.” “The Lord has blessed Emmanuel Baptist with great growth. Yet it is not so large that Pastor Mike cannot relate to the everyday challenges of our pastors and churches. The experience Pastor Mike has helping to lead our state and nearly 25 years … [Read more...]

Louisiana Right to Life: COVID-19 vaccines and abortion

By Will Hall, Message executive editor NEW ORLEANS, La. (LBM) – “We need 100 percent ethical options,” Ben Clapper, executive director of Louisiana Right to Life, is urging Louisianans to demand of elected officials regarding COVID-19 vaccines as well as common immunizations. Clapper issued the plea in a statewide electronic message addressing the ethical concerns in the development and testing of vaccines now being distributed to inoculate citizens against the novel coronavirus that originated in China and since March 2020 has claimed nearly 400,000 lives across the United States, including nearly 8,000 Louisianans, as of January 12, 2021. “Tragically, for years, biological research has used cell lines derived from the fetal tissue of a few aborted babies in the 1960s and 70s to produce and test drugs and vaccines,” Clapper said. He added that the cells harvested from the aborted babies have been replicated indefinitely, and that no further abortions have been performed to procure these cells. But, he said, funding of research using the old abortion-derived cell line was allowed to continue. “And because of that, we still face the issue of vaccines that have utilized the abortion-derived cell lines,” Clapper … [Read more...]

Pro-life marches planned for eight locations, Jan. 23

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – The 2021 Louisiana Life Marches have moved to a one-day socially distanced life chain event Jan. 23. Originally, the life marches were scheduled to take place around the state over a three-week period in January and February, but novel coronavirus pandemic concerns caused organizers to alter the format for “Stand for Life, Louisiana.” Only the Baton Rouge event will include a program from 9-10 a.m. on the Capitol building steps and will feature messages, music and prayer that will be streamed live on the Louisiana Right to Life Facebook page. A lineup of speakers will be announced closer to the event date. Attendance will be limited to 500 people, who must register online. Following the event in Baton Rouge, pro-life supporters will gather from 10:30 a.m. to noon at designated locations around the state: -- Alexandria (Intersection of Jackson Street and McArthur Boulevard) -- Baton Rouge (756 Colonial Dr. and also Plank Road in front of St. Isadore Church) -- Bossier City (Airline Drive between Viking Drive and George Dement Boulevard) -- Marksville (Intersection of Ferdinand Street and Tunica Drive) -- Metairie (Intersection of Veterans Boulevard … [Read more...]