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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Ruston ministry adds feeding unit

By Message Staff RUSTON, La. (LBM)--Rolling Hills Ministries started off 2020 by adding a new, fully-equipped feeding trailer. The 8 x 32-ft. trailer was donated by the American Red Cross chapter in Houston, Texas, and can feed up to 10,000 people a day on the field, according to John Cowling, director of ministries for Rolling Hills Ministries in Ruston. Cowling said they are fortunate to have received one of five trailers the Red Cross was willing to donate. The trailer is equipped with air conditioning, dump skillets, convection ovens, a generator and other equipment necessary to feed others in the event of a disaster. In 2019, Rolling Hills Ministries, using limited equipment, served more than 6,000 meals to first responders, volunteers and individuals impacted by a devastating EF3 tornado that touched down in Ruston. With the new feeding unit Cowling is confident the ministry will be ready to respond even better when the next disaster strikes. “We consider ourselves extremely blessed to have been gifted a tremendous asset that will help us respond quickly in disasters,” Cowling told the Baptist Message. “A special thank you goes to Gibbie McMillan for putting RHM’s Executive Director, David Abernathy, in … [Read more...]

First Dubach honors Brown’s 40 years of ministry

By Holly Jo Linzay, Regional Reporter DUBACH, La. (LBM)--Mike Brown believes his footsteps into a life of glorifying the Lord through music were ordered by God at an early age, pointing to a path that began in the fifth grade with drum lessons that led to a full-time ministry of leading worship at the same church for the last 40 years. The First Baptist Church of Dubach recently honored Brown and Lynda, his wife, with an anniversary ceremony celebrating his four decades of service at the church. “They gave us quite an outpouring of love,” Brown said. “This has been our home. We’ve raised our children in this church, and this church is our family. They have been an answer to prayer.” Cory Bruce, pastor of First Dubach, said the church wanted to recognize this milestone in Brown’s life to honor his legacy in the church and in the community. “Mike has been a testament to me and an inspiration. He’s been faithful to the call of the Lord. Mike is a great example of the kind of faithfulness you need in the ministry,” Bruce said. During the anniversary celebration, Bruce said several people who served with Brown through the years offered stories and memories about him. “Anytime we want to do outreach or evangelism, … [Read more...]

A wonderful time to begin again

By Waylon Bailey I love the new year. I love that you get to start over, make resolutions to make you better and a better person, and look at things in a different way. At the beginning of this new year, I am beginning my blog again after a few weeks without the responsibility of daily writing. It was good for me to do that, but I am thankful to start again. I want you to know that I appreciate your reading and your encouragement for this daily exercise. As we begin this new year, I have three resolutions to make. First, to live more disciplined. Discipline and organization run hand in hand. Both are required to be truly effective. Both run through almost every decision in life. The person who controls his time and deals with the true priorities will accomplish more and will feel more fulfilled in doing so. Second, to live as healthy as possible. My mother you used to say, “You are what you eat and what you think.” Eating and thinking are paramount in living a healthy life. If you don’t think right, how can you live right. Health is much more that how much you weigh; it is who you are on the inside as much as on the outside. Third, to help other people be more disciplined, physically and spiritually fit, … [Read more...]