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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Embrace the summer

By Steve Horn As a pastor, I seemed to always face the temptation to dread the summer because of the “summer slump.” The truth is too many times as churches and as leaders we “throw away the summer.” We decide that there are too many distractions, too many vacations, so we must wait for the fall. The problem is that we lose great momentum. So, even though some summer slump in churches is inevitable, I encourage all of us to “embrace the summer.” How do we do that in the church? Resist the notion that you cannot grow this summer. People move in the summer. We have our largest evangelistic outreach of the year in Vacation Bible School. These are opportunities to grow. Raise the Expectations for the summer. Often times, we set up our own failure by low expectations. I encourage us, since we know that there are challenges to the summer, to … Work harder. Set the tone by your own preparation. Seek other ways to stay connected. Reset the Mission of your class, small group, or church. The summer may be just the time to shake things up, try new things, and then be ready for the fall. Rally around something. Have a “summer project.” Just do something. Rally around a cause. People will stay connected … [Read more...]

HANKINS: ‘Farewell and thank you’

By David E. Hankins, LBC Executive Director, retired   MANDEVILLE, La. (LBM) -- Greetings, Louisiana Baptists! My official retirement date as your Executive Director has come. Thus, I am writing to bid you farewell and to thank you for the many, many blessings you have bestowed upon Patty and me these last 14 ½ years. You have been faithful friends and fervent prayer partners. You have joined me in a myriad of ministries sponsored by the LBC for the Lord Jesus. You have been kind and forgiving. You have given leadership and followership. What a joy it has been to serve with you! We have moved to Mandeville, Louisiana, near our youngest son and his family. We look forward to a less demanding schedule, to time with grandchildren, and to serving in the local church. I have no career plans (been there, done that) but will preach and teach as the Lord allows. I look forward to continuing participation as a Louisiana Baptist. I believe God has great things in store for LBC.  Your new executive director Dr. Steve Horn is already at the helm. He brings to the office great giftedness, fruitful experience, a wonderful spirit, and a love for Jesus and the church. I have every confidence you will thrive under his … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptists Executive Director-Elect Steve Horn releases speaking schedule

For a chance to hear newly elected Louisiana Baptists Executive Director Dr. Steve Horn, multiple chances are available around the state. Horn has a speaking schedule through late October: July 8, 6 p.m. - Zoar Baptist Church, Baton Rouge July 21, 8 a.m. - Philadelphia Baptist Church, Deville July 27, 6 p.m. - First Baptist Church, Covington July 28, 9:30 and 11 a.m. - First Baptist Church, Covington August 18, 10:15 a.m. - Mount Vernon Baptist Church, West Monroe August 25, 6 p.m. - First Baptist Church, Pineville September 4, 6:30 p.m. - Bayou Church, Lafayette (Men's night event) September 8, 10:30 a.m. - First Baptist Church, Haughton September 15, 10:30 a.m. - First Baptist Church, Winnfield September 22, 5 p.m. - First Baptist Church, Eunice (Acadia Baptist Association meeting) September 29, 10:30 a.m. - Alto Baptist Church October 6, time TBD - Bayou Church, Lafayette October 7, 6:30 p.m. - Riverside Baptist Church, Watson (Eastern Baptist Association meeting) October 13, 9 a.m. - First Baptist Church, Ponchatoula October 14, 6:30 p.m. - Holmesville Baptist Church, Downsville (Concord Union Baptist Association meeting) October 17, 6 p.m. - First Baptist Church, Broussard … [Read more...]

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...]