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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

State churches urged to apply for DHS grants

By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA (LBM) – The Department of Homeland Security has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity relating to the 2019 Nonprofit Secu­rity Grant Program which offers funds to upgrade the security of facilities as pro­tection against threats of violence due to “ideology, beliefs or mission. Churches and religious schools have about two weeks to submit grant requests to the Louisi­ana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness. If nonprofits are unable to meet the tight deadline for 2019, they should sub­mit requests this year in order to be considered for the 2020 program. The U.S. Congress pro­vided $60 million for the FY19 program, which also covers synagogues and mosques, and Louisiana is expected to receive about $200,000 to $300,000 of that allocation. Last year, the state approved four grant requests. IMPORTANT: The church is making the request to FEMA, but the state will submit the actual application based on the information the church provides (if the state ap­proves the request). Based on the process used in previous years: The first step is to apply for a Data Univer­sal Numbering System (DUNS) number. The church also must complete a … [Read more...]

Governor’s Prayer Breakfast centers capital on Christ

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BATON ROUGE (LBM) -- For more than an hour, clergy, community leaders and public officials prayed for Gov. John Bel Edwards, the military, law enforcement, first responders and the state, April 10, at the Raising Canes Center in Baton Rouge, unit­ing more than 1,000 legisla­tors, pastors, businessmen and others as the body of Christ just days after the start of the 2019 state legislative session. Ray Swift, administrative pastor at the First Baptist Church in Lafayette, delivered an invocation and Charles Harper, steering committee chairman, introduced the head table of program per­sonalities and other special guests. State Rep. Katrina Jackson, Assistant District Attorney Ken Fabre, state Sen. Sharon Hewitt, Ascension Parish Sheriff Deputy and Chap­lain Ken Spivey, state Rep. Thomas Carmody, Jr., and steering committee member Phillip Juban were among others offering prayers and reading scripture during the annual the Governor’s Prayer Breakfast. Keynote speaker Ken Boa, president of Reflections Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia, reminded the crowd to live out God’s purpose for them. “His desire for you and me is that we will live a life that will so reflect a life of Christ in … [Read more...]

Louisiana readies for National Day of Prayer

ALEXANDRIA (LBM) - Louisiana Baptists will gather at churches and other venues throughout the state, May 2, with the single purpose of calling out to God as part of the annual National Day of Prayer. Jay Johnston, coordinator for the Louisiana National Day of Prayer Task Force, believes prayer is near to the heart of God. “Prayer unifies our hearts and lives and is used by God to change us not change Him nor our circumstances,” said Jay Johnston, associate pastor of the First Baptist Church in Covington. “I hope you will take time in your home or your church, neighborhood, school, city hall or at the state Capitol to pray on Thursday, May 2, 2019.” ­This year’s National Day of Prayer theme is “Love One Another,” based on John 13:34 – “Love one another, just as I have loved you.” Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee President Ronnie Floyd is national chairman of what the National Day of Prayer Task Force describes as a “grass roots movement” in which local churches or communities plan how, when and where they want to pray, and the specific content of those prayers. … [Read more...]

Easter Reflections – Day 30

As Easter approaches, the Baptist Message team invites you to pause daily from the hustle and bustle of life to focus on the days leading up to Easter or Resurrection Sunday. Join us in this challenge to read through the Gospels to get a greater understanding of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection. Day 30: John 10-12 (NKJV) ========================= (John 10) Jesus the True Shepherd 10 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. Jesus the Good Shepherd 7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came [a]before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did … [Read more...]

PALM SUNDAY: ‘Hosanna – He is coming!’

By Rhonda Harrington Kelley NEW ORLEANS (BP) - On a recent pilgrimage to Israel, our group made a brief stop in a small village that left a lasting impression. The town of Bethphage is located near the Mount of Olives overlooking Jerusalem. Today a church commemorates the place where Jesus began His triumphal entry into Jerusalem and where He met Martha of Bethany after the death of her brother Lazarus. I loved this special place because of the beautiful and quiet setting, and also because Martha has always been one of my favorite women of the Bible. I so relate to her focus on serving others. A colorful fresco painting behind the altar of the church in Bethphage depicts the joyous processional of Jesus, and other paintings around the church portray His followers. I love the painting of Martha with her sister Mary of Bethany. The artwork is a profound expression of how the early Christians celebrated the Promised King, and is a reminder to Christians today to focus on the fulfillment of those biblical promises, especially as we observe Palm Sunday, Holy Week and Easter Sunday. All four Gospels include an account of the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-40; John … [Read more...]

EASTER: Growing up with death

By Charles S. (Chuck) Kelley Jr. NEW ORLEANS (BP) - My childhood was different than most. I grew up in the home of a funeral director. For the first years of my life, we literally lived in the funeral home itself in an apartment above the family rooms, casket room and chapel. Far earlier than most, I learned an essential truth about life: Death is inevitable for all. My father handled funerals for the elderly and the young, the healthy and the sick, the wealthy and the poor, the unknown and the famous, including a service for the Big Bopper, whose huge hit "Chantilly Lace" made him a household name until a plane crash ended his life. Some deaths were expected and natural; others were shocking and tragic. The causes of death varied widely, and the timing of death was often unpredictable. But whatever the cause or whenever the timing, death was, is, and ever will be the experience of all who live, whether we like it or not. Many seek to avoid this truth, but none can avoid its reality. I walked into the back of the funeral home very early one Saturday morning during high school and saw the name Walter Portius on the board listing those who passed away overnight. We were in class together on Friday morning, but he died … [Read more...]