By Baptist Message staff BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Lee Wesley, a pastor who started one of the first predominantly African American Louisiana Baptist congregations in the Baton Rouge area, died Nov. 10. He was 76. Wesley had served as pastor of Community Bible Baptist Church in Baton Rouge since 1989, but he also was a well-known leader at all levels of Louisiana Baptist life. Friends and colleagues described him as a champion for bringing churches together to make the greatest Gospel impact on the community. According to information compiled from the Annual Church Profile, Tommy Middleton, director of missions for the Baptist Association of Greater Baton Rouge, and James Jenkins, Louisiana Baptist director of church planting, Wesley was the first African American moderator of BAGBR; he helped Middleton establish inner city camps for children in Baton Rouge; and, he also identified potential Black church planters. During his tenure at Community Bible Baptist Church, which averages 125 worshipers for Sunday morning service, 676 new converts were baptized since 1989. Statewide, Wesley was chairman of the Every People Group Task Force of the LBC President’s 2020 Commission since 2012. He also was an LBC Executive Board … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer HAUGHTON, La. (LBM) - Evangelist Bill Britt, in early 2020, was looking forward to preaching at crusades and revivals over a 45-week period, but in mid-March COVID-19 brought his schedule of events, like every other evangelist’s, to a near close. Britt saw 14 events cancelled, yet he is confident about his calling no matter the crushing burden caused by the COVID-19 shutdown. “You can’t stop the Gospel,” Britt told the Baptist Message. “When you have the opportunities to preach to the crowd, it’s exciting because you get to exercise your calling and gifts. Seeing Him move when people are full of fear and then to see some turn to the Lord is such a blessing.” In July, the evangelist from Haughton resumed his slate of crusades and revivals, though the crowds have been smaller because of COVID-19 attendance restrictions. Then Britt tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Although only a mild case, he had to cancel two more of his preaching assignments. “The Lord provided healing for me, finances and met all of my needs,” Britt said. “It has made me more sensitive to pray for those who are battling with this disease.” Despite these challenges Britt has seen multiple … [Read more...]