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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Pointing upward

By David Jeremiah EL CAJON, Calif. (BP) -- For half a century, the faithful parishioners of First Church of Christ in Unionville, Ct., had missed their steeple. First built in 1885, it had loomed above the town's center but suffered deterioration and was torn down. Church members wanted to replace the steeple, but the project was too expensive. Then came Verizon Wireless. When the company needed to build a cellphone tower in Unionville, locals worried about the landscape. So the phone company rebuilt the steeple out of steel and fiberglass so radio waves could bounce from antennas hidden inside the structure. Some of the church members hesitated, but agreed with the project. "We thought it would be nice to have a steeple again," said one attender. Centuries ago, it was London's Sir Christopher Wren, an architect, who fine-tuned the image of the steeple. To Wren, a steeple was the finger of God pointing upward. I love steeples for that reason. In enduring fashion, they point toward the heavens and direct the eye upward to our risen Savior. And that's the wonderful message of the church. Pointing upward People, trends and methods may come and go, but one thing endures: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today … [Read more...]

Tragedy turns to triumph in wake of pastor’s death

By Message Staff TERRYTOWN – Tragedy turned into triumph on the Westbank campus of Celebration Church, a week after its pastor was tragically killed while trying to help a motorist change a flat tire. Dennis Watson, lead pastor of Celebration Church that has campuses in the Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Northshore areas, told members and guests inside a packed worship center on the Westbank campus Sunday, June 23, they have showed their trust in God and love for Pastor Claude Williams and his family. Williams was one of three people who died Sunday evening, June 16, while trying to help a motorist change a flat tire on the upper level of the Westbank Expressway in Marrero. During the service, 15 people turned to Christ, and many more made decisions to accept Jesus as Lord during two memorial services held June 21 and 22. “The Lord tells us we will experience trials and tragedy in life,” Watson said during the June 23 worship service. “The Lord also tells us that He will bring us through our trials and tragedies. To overcome life’s trials and tragedies we must remember who God is and what He is able to do for and through us.” Drawing his message from 2 Corinthians 1:1-11, Watson reminded the congregation that God … [Read more...]