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 7: Luke 11-12 (NKJV) ================================== (Luke 11) Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer 1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 Forgive us our sins,     for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’” 5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer MORGAN CITY – Charles Gilder practiced what he preached during his 39-year tenure at Bayou Vista Baptist Church, especially the importance of steadfast commitment. “One benefit of long-term ministry is you get to know people and they build a trust with you,” Gilder said. “That opens doors that aren’t open initially. “It was not that other churches didn’t approach me, but I felt that when you don’t stay very long, yo can’t really get to know the people that well,” he continued. “They accepted us. The area did not grow on us at first. It was the people that grew on us. It was developing relationships with people and families. We became a part of a family. I’m grateful that continued throughout the years.” Gilder was honored for his dedication and hard work in ministry as a Louisiana Baptist Retiree of the Year award winner at a reception for bi-vocational and retired pastors during the 2018 Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting at Temple Baptist Church, Ruston. A native of Greenville, Mississippi, Gilder accepted Christ as his Savior during a city-wide revival at age 15. Shortly after, Gilder accepted the call to preach the Gospel. He began his education to prepare for … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer MANSURA – Powerlifter Steve Carrier per­formed feats of strength throughout the two-day Momentum Family Crusade in Avoyelles Parish, March 15-16. But it was the power of the Holy Spirit that was on display in the 100 acts of repentance for salvation and restoration that took place among the 500 people who attended one or both services at the Cochon De Lait Center in Mansura. The Louisiana Baptist Association-sponsored event was described by organizers as one of the largest evangelistic outreaches for Louisiana Bap­tists in Avoyelles Parish, with nearly half of the 28 churches in the association participating. A STRONG PRESENCE Carrier, who has traveled around the world with MegaForce Ministries to present the Gospel using stunts that feature his unique physical strength to attract crowds, let the Holy Spirit do the heavy lifting in reaching out to those who attended. “We’re all born with a God-shaped void,” Carrier told the crowd. “You can try to fill it, but you’ll never have complete confidence and peace. What one thing would hold you back tonight from a relationship with God? So many people put God off until tomorrow. But the Bible says today is the acceptable … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer DEVILLE – Christmas of 2018 is now just a memory for most, but 21 new believers in Christ are growing in their faith as a result of the gift they each received during the Christmas program held at the Philadelphia Baptist Church, Deville. Moreover, according to Philip Robertson, pastor of the multi-site congregation which has another campus on Horseshoe Drive in Alexandria, F.A.I.T.H. visits in 2019 through early March, including to see guests who attended the Christmas program, have added another eight new Christmas musical offered gift that keeps giving believers to Heaven’s rolls. Robertson said the spiritual growth PBC is experiencing is a result of purposeful evangelistic planning and training. “Our worship teams worked super hard preparing for Christmas because they know we will have an opportunity to touch people we wouldn’t normally reach,” he told the Baptist Message. “Our job is simply to share the message and let the Holy Spirit do the work.” Robertson said the same of the work put into the F.A.I.T.H. weekly outreach program, which began on both campuses in February. “There is no greater miracle than the miracle of salvation,” he said of the combined … [Read more...]

By Message Staff ALEXANDRIA (LBM) — The search committee seeking the next executive director for the Louisiana Baptist Convention has narrowed its list of candi­dates, and hopes to have a nominee to present at the next LBC Executive Board meeting, search committee chair­man Waylon Bailey told the Baptist Message March 18. “As you know, our committee has been given the challenging task of making a recommendation that will affect the work of Louisi­ana Baptists for decades to come,” Bailey, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Coving­ton and also chair­man of the LBC Executive Board, said in an e-mail statement. “We have not taken this task lightly. “When we learned of our responsibil­ity at the state convention in November, we immediately set a goal of having a candidate to present at the next Execu­tive Board meeting, May 7, 2019,” he continued. “We have been working diligently to meet that self-imposed deadline. “Our committee of 15 individuals from around the state has been fully engaged in this process,” he said. “I am deeply appreciative of their prayerful participation and hard work.” The 15-member search committee first met Nov. 27 to begin the process to nominate a successor to LBC Executive Director David … [Read more...]