By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer LA ESPERANZA, Honduras (LBM) –Verona Langford felt humbled and privileged to witness new converts step into the local river for baptism as part of a multi-church worship service in Honduras. One by one, eight individuals came in and out of the water and were greeted with applause and hugs from the 60 Hondurans in attendance for the occasion. Langford, who has taken multiple trips to the country with her husband, Marlyn, said the service that took place in 2017 signifies the fruits of the labor reaped from a multi-church, multi-state partnership that frequently sends teams to share Christ in La Esperanza. “The people were so excited to gather for what was, at the time, a rare thing,” Langford, a member of Woodridge Baptist Church in Shreveport, told the Baptist Message. “You could just see the excitement on the faces of those baptized and the gathered crowd. Another team witnessed 27 new believers baptized this spring. We return year after year there, and this was a blessing to see a visual picture of the harvest from the seeds that have been sown.” Woodridge Baptist, joined by First Baptist Church, Dry Prong, Forest Hill Baptist Church and Sweetwater Baptist Church, Quitman, are … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS, La. (LBM) – Bobbie Wallace was headed on a path of hopelessness when he was sentenced to a 66-year sentence on two counts of armed robbery, but his Georgia Barnette Offering assists Angola graduate to pursue his ministry dream life was forever changed when he found restoration through Christ inside the walls of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. Through the encouragement of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary staff and other Louisiana Baptists, Wallace earned his bachelor’s degree through the seminary classes taught in the prison and became a sold-out follower of Christ. Wallace, who miraculously was released in 2014 after only 20 years at Angola, used the years of biblical knowledge gained inside the prison to become a missionary outside the walls and eventually met Jacob Crawford, director of City Life NOLA. Crawford presented Wallace with the opportunity to offer the hope of Christ to others in the city who were struggling and overlooked. Since 2020, Crawford has helped former Angola inmates like Wallace grow deeper in their faith and participate Jacob Crawford, director of City Life NOLA, joined others in prayer for the lost to discover the hope … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer WOODWORTH, La. (LBM) – The Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and Family Ministries’ campus is bustling with activity lately, President and CEO Perry Hancock told Executive Board members, Sept. 28. He said that three years after the project was announced, a new recreation and activity center has opened that replaces the former gymnasium and pool, which were more than 60 and 40 years old, respectively. Hancock also said Hope Cottage has been transformed into a building that houses the Ministerial Care Residential Program, which was restarted after COVID-19 temporarily halted it. Louisiana Baptist terminated ministers, and International Mission Board missionaries on stateside assignment, transitioning to a new ministry or recently retired are eligible to receive a free apartment on the LBCH[1]FM’s campus in Monroe for up to one year. “It is very easy to overlook the needs of pastors and missionaries in crisis,” said Dennis Phelps, director of the Ministerial Care Residential Program and director of church and alumni relations. “And we hope that this relaunch of this ministry will respond to the desperate need of our pastors as well as missionaries.” Hancock thanked Louisiana … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer DEVILLE, La. (LBM) – On Oct. 2, the Louisiana College football team posted their first victory as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, but the following day scored an even bigger win as six players shared their newfound faith before classmates and friends during a special baptism service at Philadelphia Baptist Church, Deville, which also has a campus on Horseshoe Drive in Alexandria. Coach Drew Maddox said he was overcome with emotion as he watched so many of his players, one[1]by-one, stir the baptistery waters. Fifteen other new believing wildcats were unable to attend the special service but have since been baptized at other churches or they plan to take part in baptism soon. “It’s such a great feeling seeing these guys take such a bold step in their faith,” Maddox told the Baptist Message. “From the first day we meet as a team, I share with them my testimony and use others to also plant those seeds that hopefully will result in some of them accepting Christ. Anytime you meet the Lord it’s bigger than football.” Jaden Conley, a freshman from Springfield, said he was convicted to give his life to Christ after hearing Maddox share his testimony … [Read more...]