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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

ERLC hosts Spinney, other pastors for advocacy trip

By staff WASHINGTON (LBM, BP) – Gevan Spinney, senior pastor with First Baptist Church, Haughton, was among 16 pastors who recently gathered in Washington, D.C., to champion pro-life causes and advocate for other positive policy changes. Hosted by the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, the trip that took place March 25-26 included meetings with three Southern Baptist congressional leaders – House Speaker Mike Johnson, a member of Cypress Baptist Church, Benton, and Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and James Lankford (R-OK). While there the pastors hand delivered, to Lankford and the office of Sen. Majority Leader John Thume (R-SC), letters containing 10,000 signatures for the ERLC's campaign that asks Congress to defund Planned Parenthood The pastors from Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee and Texas also met with Timothy Goeglein, vice president of external and government relations with Focus on the Family, Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC) and the White House Faith Office. They ended their trip with a visit to the Museum of the Bible. Spinney, in comments to Baptist Press, said he left with a strong burden to pray for those fellow believers in the fight. “I wish that every Southern Baptist … [Read more...]

Revival spurs spiritual renewal at FBC Natchitoches

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NATCHITOCHES, La. (LBM) – Nearly 400 members and guests of First Baptist Church, Natchitoches, sought reconciliation and laid down their own idols during a recent four-day Thirst Revival Conference. Hosted by Niles, Michigan-based Life Action Ministries, the gathering featured nightly messages on the need to trust in God even in the hard seasons of life, removing idols, dangers of bitterness and examination of one’s own love for the Lord, himself and others. The conference also included high-energy music, children’s programming and a women’s luncheon led entirely by Life Action’s ministry team. In the end, the church came away more unified and ready for God’s next step in their lives. Tommy Rush, senior pastor of FBCN, told the Baptist Message that every night entire families filled the altar and others gathered in pews as they sought reconciliation and offered long-overdue encouragement. “It was more of a focus on being refreshed and restoring relationships in our family and church,” FBCN Senior Pastor Tommy Rush told the Baptist Message. “Sometimes you don’t realize how hungry people in the church are to restore broken relationships. “The revival focused a lot … [Read more...]