By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer POLLOCK, La. (LBM) –Seventy-three years have passed since Gene Tiley served in World War II as a member of the U.S. Navy; but rarely does a day go by when he does not think about friends who perished in battle. Known as the Greatest Generation by historians, those who fought in the last large-scale war are largely known to shy away from any attention given to the heroics they might have displayed. For many war survivors, some memories are painful to recall but at the same time each is an important reminder about the necessity to be vigilant in defending the freedoms won by the many sacrifices made in combat. “I think about those old boys that I fought alongside, especially those who lost their lives,” Tiley, 93, told the Baptist Message. “People risked their lives during the war, and others made significant sacrifices at home. “When I hear the word ‘Greatest Generation’ a sense of pride comes across me,” he said. “I was always proud to be a part of it.” Tiley, who is a deacon at the First Baptist Church in Pollock, entered the Second World War at the age of 17 in May 1944, a year before the war officially ended. “If you were warm and breathing, you were expected to defend our … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer COLFAX, La. (LBM) – On his most recent birthday, World War II veteran Willis Prather celebrated a century of memories, with special appreciation for his time of service to the country. The 100-year-old Prather was a member of the famed 82nd Airborne Division. As he scanned the crowd during the Sept. 22 party at the Bethel Baptist Church in Colfax, he was speechless while remembering those who served with him overseas and those who were waiting for him when he returned home. “It was just a time when we had to be very, very, very thankful,” Prather, who accepted Christ when he was eight, told the Baptist Message. “I knew the good Lord had to be there taking care of His people. He wasn’t visible, but in your heart you knew He was there right beside you in each battle. I prayed and talked to Him many times, and thanked Him for the day He brought me home.” Prather joined the 82nd Airborne Division in 1943 as a 23-year-old from Eunice, and was assigned to a field artillery regiment at Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma. From there, he traveled to several states and countries until he reached Normandy, France, on D-Day, June 6, 1944 -- when Allied forces invaded northern France by … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Jeff Vincent was running from the call to pastor after he completed his tour of duty with the Army in 2010, but a burden to see his community reached with the Gospel prompted him to reverse course and plant Hope Church in Baton Rouge six years later. Vincent’s obedience has allowed him to see the church grow from just a handful in 2016 to more than 50 in early October. “We planted Hope Church at a moment in our lives when we really needed hope,” Vincent told the Baptist Message. “We were recovering from some pretty serious hurt and disappointment, and struggled and wrestled with God because we thought we had hit a dead end. After some serious prayer and investment into our healing by other leaders, we realized that this pain had a purpose and there are no dead ends when living on mission for Jesus.” Vincent was raised near Jennings in an impoverished family closely tied to the biker culture. His desire was to flee the situation one day, and the only way out was through the military. After graduating from the United States Military Academy, also known as West Point, injuries abruptly ended his military career. Vincent then moved with his wife, … [Read more...]