By Will Hall, Message Executive Editor NEW ORLEANS, La. (LBM)—Sawyer was an answer to prayer for his parents Yalonda and Louis Terry. He was the brother they had hoped for their then 18-month-old son Callan and 11-year-old sister Kacie. Her nephew Daniel (11) also lives with them. But on August 18 tragedy struck the Terry home when Yalonda discovered four-month-old Sawyer was not breathing. “I did CPR for 11 minutes before the ambulance arrived,” she told the Baptist Message. “I knew it was bad at that moment, because they did not even try it [CPR] in my house, but instead picked him up and ran straight to the ambulance.” Sawyer was rushed to Byrd Regional Hospital in Leesville and shortly after he was ventilated they flew him and Yalonda to Rapides Women and Children’s Hospital in Alexandria. “I was in the waiting room for six hours,” Yalonda recalled. “I received some updates and at times reports about him seizing. By that night they said they had him stabilized.” For days it seemed all the news was bad news, and Yalonda finally put down her foot to tell the medical staff not to discuss anything negative in front of Sawyer, insisting they talk positively when around him or not at all. She said the most … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Church planters and state missions staff gathered in the Louisiana Baptist Building Oct. 9 to commemorate the 250th church planted since 2010. The achievement moves Louisiana Baptists closer to the goal of planting 300 churches by 2020 as part of one of the 10 action steps identified in the President’s 2020 Commission Final Report, which was affirmed by messengers during the 2013 LBC Annual Meeting. Planting healthy, biblically sound, multiplying churches is a key component to the seven-year-strategy which seeks to engage two audiences – the next generation and every people group – in reaching Louisiana with the Gospel. James Jenkins, director of church planting for Louisiana Baptists, told the Baptist Message the reception to mark the occasion was a celebration of partnership among church planters, sponsoring churches and directors of missions. “This celebration, and the ones we have had along the way to the 300th church plant, is a way of thanking God for his grace and Louisiana Baptists for their giving,” Jenkins said. PRESSING TOWARD THE GOAL Hope Church in Baton Rouge was recognized as the 250th new church plant, and Pastor Jeff Vincent … [Read more...]

By Jerry Love, LBF director of planned giving Isaiah 40:8 tells us: “The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God remains forever” (CSB). There also are times the grass grows up in the cracks, and the flowers and shrubs overtake structures that we would call permanent. A pastor friend who now lives in Virginia relayed a story in a recent blog post about a walk in the woods with his wife. As they strolled around a local lake they came upon the remains of a cabin that had become an overgrown pile of rubble. My friend wrote: “This rubble is hidden... you might walk right by it without even being aware of its presence. Someone once lived here. They worked hard to gather heavy rocks to line the foundation and walls. They farmed, they hunted, and they walked around the same lake we were now walking around. They had dreams, plans, and a vision to build something and make a living. They may have even died here. “Who were they? What were their dreams? Did they leave any relatives to carry on the legacy?” The more important question for me is “What kind of legacy did they leave?” I recall a particular song from years past titled “Only One Life” by Lanny Wolfe. With a little digging (thanks, Wikipedia) … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Executive Editor BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM)—LSU football Coach Ed Orgeron is lifting spirits on the field and off it. The Bayou Bengals have won their first six games, defeating the then Associated Press number six Florida Gators 42-28, vaulting LSU from fifth place to second in the latest sports writers’ poll. Fans and analysts are exuberant about game plan changes Orgeron has made, creating a highly effective air strike offense that has lifted the hopes of the Tiger Nation for an undefeated season. But Ken Ellis, team Chaplain, and Andy Stroup, greater Baton Rouge area director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, also praised “Coach O” for what he has done off the field, too. Ellis, a former NFL Pro Bowl defensive back who serves as an associate pastor with Bethany World Prayer Center in Baton Rouge, lauded Orgeron for placing a high priority on the spiritual character of the players. “It starts with Coach O,” he said regarding the spiritual attitude in the locker room. “He attends all the chapel services. He doesn’t miss any. He’s there and shows how much he appreciates it. He also reaches out to me to pray after each game. “He leads by example,” Ellis told the Baptist Message.  … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer LEESVILLE, La. (LBM)--Xavier Tate found more than fun and games on the midway during the annual fair and rodeo in Vernon Parish. During his temporary reprieve from the confines of the local jail as a member of a work crew, he found freedom in Christ and was baptized the same day --  all because of an act of compassion by members of the Vernon Baptist Association of churches. Jearme Ousley, student pastor at the Pine Hill Baptist Church in Leesville, told the Baptist Message the associational team served breakfast to Tate and his jail mates and that that kindness softened his heart. Ousley said that Tate was baptized shortly after making a profession of faith -- with the Louisiana Baptist volunteers singing “Amazing Grace.” Larry Galloway, a member of East Leesville Baptist Church, baptized Tate in a trough provided by local feed shop owner Gil James, a member of Canaan Baptist Church in Leesville, in water contributed by the  fire department. “The goal was simple – to show the love of Jesus to lost, broken and hurting people who many look down on and consider outcasts,” Ousley said. “Xavier thought he was just there to clean up and wasn’t expecting a hot meal, let alone a … [Read more...]