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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

West CENLA GO TELL America Crusade Sunday night service yields 47 decisions for Christ

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer LEESVILLE, La. (LBM) – Approximately 47 people (of a crowd of about 1,000 who attended on "Church Night") responded to a plea to make a decision for Christ during the opening service of the West CENLA GO TELL America Crusade in the Leesville High School football stadium, April 13. At the invitation brought by Rick Gage, founder of GO TELL Crusades in Duluth, Ga., 23 attendees repented and declared Christ as Lord of their lives and another 24 repented for restoration with Christ. Earlier that morning, 10 people turned to Christ after a message to the First Baptist Church, Anacoco, by Ken Freeman, an evangelist from Martindale, Texas, and another five accepted the Lord after a message by Gage to the Good Hope Baptist Church, Anacoco. Additionally, a trustee with the Vernon Parish Jail became a Christ follower while setting up the crusade stage on April 11. After the crusade team had a time of prayer on the football field, a trustee began asking questions about why they prayed and the purpose of the event. Moments later, the trustee placed his faith in Christ and has asked to be baptized soon, according to Chad King, pastor with FBC Anacoco. “It was a great moment … [Read more...]

Lenow elected to serve as ERLC president

By ERLC NASHVILLE (ERLC) - Evan Lenow has been unanimously elected to fill the role as the next president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention by the organization’s board of trustees.  The ERLC board of trustees voted to appoint Lenow during a special called meeting, April 13, in Nashville, Tenn. Lenow, 47, is coming to the ERLC after serving as the director of the Institute for Christian Leadership, director of Church and Minister Relations and chair of the Christian Studies Department for Mississippi College in Clinton, Miss.  "Dr. Lenow is a proven, trusted servant to Southern Baptists, and he has a demonstrated love for helping churches live out the Great Commission fully in their contexts,” said Scott Foshie, chairman of the ERLC board of trustees. “His biblically rooted ethics resources are trusted by our seminaries, and many local churches have benefitted from his faithful preaching and helpful consultations. We are overjoyed that he has answered God's call to use his keen intellect and shepherd's heart to lead the ERLC." The ERLC trustee presidential search committee, chaired by Mitch Kimbrell of Williston, Vt., recommended Lenow to the full board after a seven-month … [Read more...]

Artemis II reminds all of us to look up

When NASA set a launch date for Artemis II all those months ago, there was no way of knowing that the world would be in desperate need of something so uniquely awe-inspiring. On a planet consumed by war, hate, tragedy, and lack, these astronauts are giving the human population a rare gift: the chance to focus on what we have in common — not the differences splintering us all apart. … [Read more...]

La. Baptist, NASA engineer says Artemis II mission confirmed his awe of God

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – As Artemis II captured the nation and world during its journey toward the moon,  Andrew Riddle, an engineer contracted by NASA and a member of First Baptist Church, New Orleans, said the lunar orbit highlighted God's creation. After graduating from Saint Louis University, Riddle moved to New Orleans and began working at Michoud Assembly Center in New Orleans East as a propulsion engineer on the core stage of the space launch system rocket. After almost six years of work, he said that seeing it take off in person from Kennedy Space Center was surreal. FAITH-DRIVEN Riddle said his faith in the Lord plays a part in his appreciation of space and creation. “I’m driven by a desire to better understand creation, like many scientists and explorers throughout history,” Riddle told the Baptist Message. “The night sky especially has always left me in awe of God’s beauty, power and majesty.” He added that the mission has generated renewed excitement by many young people in space exploration. “I love seeing younger people get excited about this new era of exploration,” he said. “My dad grew up during the space race in the sixties and it had a huge impact … [Read more...]

LCU hosts Christian apologist Frank Turek

By Elizabeth Clarke, LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) - “Would you ever be able to catch someone in a lie if there was no truth?” Renowned Christian apologist Frank Turek asked the crowd, April 7, inside Louisiana Christian University’s Guinn Auditorium. Turek, founder of CrossExamined.org and host of the program “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist” addressed four questions. Does truth exist? Does God exist? Are miracles possible? Is the New Testament true? He said we live in a relativist post-modern world today, where some people argue that all truth is relative. However, there can’t be “my truth” or “your truth,” only “the truth.” “Instead of teaching kids how to think, we are teaching them what to feel,” he said. “So many things you hear today violate the law of non-contradiction.” The law of non-contradiction states that two opposing ideas cannot both be true. For example, the statement “there isn’t the truth, only my truth.” If there is no truth, then that statement can’t be the truth. “There’s only one answer to ‘Jesus Christ rose from the dead.’ It doesn’t matter if you believe it or not,” Turek said. “Do you have to believe in gravity to stay on the ground? Do people who don’t … [Read more...]