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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Raising children who thrive

By Waylon Bailey You may have seen the report of the Harvard University study about children who attend church, but I am certain you weren’t surprised. This scientific study reported what common sense and common knowledge have always known to be true. Children who attend church regularly (that is, once a week) are happier, better adjusted, and more likely to do well as adults. Who knew? Actually, we all did. All you have to do is look around and you see this repeated over and over. Of course, it’s good to see publication by a very secular university that validates what we and most other people already know. What were the findings? Harvard’s T. H. Chan School of Public Health found that children who go to church once a week or children who pray daily have similar outcomes. Both groups have lower risk of substance abuse and depression as adults. This group is also more likely to volunteer. Study author Ying Chen noted that “many children are raised religiously, and our study shows that this can powerfully affect their health behaviors, mental health, and overall happiness and well being.“ One of the most significant findings for me is that children who have been raised to pray, read Scripture, and attend church … [Read more...]

Tomorrow’s Hope Crusade’s powerful second night leads to 15 more salvations

By Message Staff JENA – Hundreds of people came forward, knelt, and filled the altar to pray for lost souls in a stirring, powerful moment during the second night of Tomorrow’s Hope Crusade. Answering a call by evangelist Scott Camp, people streamed out of the stands and to the altar to pray for family, friends and neighbors Monday night, Sept. 24. “Do you have a burden for someone? I want you to get out of your seats and come to this altar and pray for that person,” Camp told the crowd inside Jena High School’s gymnasium. “God wants to touch this little town. God wants to touch this parish. Aren’t you sick and tired of letting the devil run over you like a smooth road? We need revival. Get on our face before God. “Our hearts have grown cold,” he continued. “We don’t weep over the lost. Church is just a country club with a steeple on top and it is time we change.” A passionate Camp told the crowd he was a changed man because as a “17-year-old boy, alone in a jail cell,” Jesus came and rescued him from a life of sin. “God still heals people today,” he said. “God still delivers people today. And I’m praying that if nothing else this week, you will get full of the Holy Ghost. ... The Holy Spirit of God will give you … [Read more...]

Prayer will be the focus of annual See You at the Pole events tomorrow

By Message Staff Prayer will be the emphasis early Wednesday morning, Sept. 26, when students in Louisiana and all over the country will join for this year’s annual See You At The Pole events. Held the fourth Wednesday of every September around their school’s flagpoles, the students assemble to pray for their friends, community and nation. Some churches continue the day of prayer with a time of worship [See You After the Pole) in the evening. This year’s theme is Broken, based on Ephesians 3:14 which states “I fall on my knees before the Father.” The Baptist Message would like to post pictures of your SYATP activities on our Facebook page and publish a photo gallery later on our website, baptistmessage.com. Anyone who would like to share what your students are doing can email your photos to brian@baptistmessage.com.   … [Read more...]

Army base sees 1,459 salvations since March

By Josie Rabbitt Bingham FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (BP) - U. S. Army Chaplain (Capt.) Jose Rondon believes "there is nothing more exhilarating in life than seeing people come to Christ." Since arriving at Fort Leonard Wood, Rondon has experienced that exhilaration with more than 2,000 professions of faith -- something one could describe as a spiritual awakening. Originally from Venezuela, Rondon came to faith in Christ in the 1990s through the witness of an International Mission Board missionary. Later, he immigrated to South Carolina, where he attended a Southern Baptist college – North Greenville University – and then worked on master’s and doctoral degrees at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He became a United States Citizen in 2010 and later joined the military as a U.S. Army Chaplain. He began serving as a chaplain at Fort Leonard Wood earlier this year. He summarizes his part in the ‘spiritual awakening’ with one word: intentionality. “To be intentional is to be faithful to Christ and obedient to His Great Commission,” he said. “But we will not succeed in making disciples until the lost make the first step to follow Christ as their Savior. To be intentional not only means to preach Christ’s Word in … [Read more...]

Tomorrow’s Hope’s first night yields 63 decisions

By Message Staff JENA – Evangelist Rick Gage urged hundreds of people attending the opening night of the Tomorrow’s Hope GO TELL Crusade to consider turning to Christ before the opportunity passes. “You don’t know when your last chance to give your heart and life to Christ will pass you by,” Gage told a few hundred gathered inside Jena High School’s gymnasium Sunday, Sept. 23. “You’re not guaranteed that you will see tomorrow “There will be billions who will stand before Jesus on judgment day and they will be shocked when they hear Jesus say I never knew you,” Gage said. “Can you say tonight in confidence when this brief life ends you will go to heaven?” At the invitation, 63 came forward to declare Christ the Lord of their lives and several others sought prayer for family and friends who do not know Christ. Crusade leaders will connect with those persons who made a decision with the pastor of a local church for follow-up. Gage shared how Christ transformed his life that was destined for self-destruction to a future marked with the hope of Jesus. Soon after, Gage lost his desire to become a head football coach at a major program (Texas Tech), and surrendered his life to full-time evangelistic ministry. Since then, … [Read more...]