A long-time Louisiana pastor and New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary alumni has been selected as Citizen of the Year in Johnstown, Colorado. Billy Stevens was selected for his church planting work in Johnstown. Stevens and his wife, Stephanie, are planting the Well in Loveland, Colorado. The couple has focused their efforts to help hurting families, organize neighborhoods for fun kids activities and lead students to excel at the local high school, where he taught five business classes. He has pastored for 23 years, most recently as senior pastor at Willow Point Baptist Church in Shreveport and as discipleship pastor at First Baptist Church in Houma.   … [Read more...]

By Message Staff RAPID CITY, South Dakota – A Lakota tribe member had just received a Gospel tract when she enthusiastically asked Northshore Baptist Association mission team member Jackie Morton how she could find the hope found in Christ. Through a subsequent 15-minute conversation between the two, the Indian woman finally said yes to a relationship with Jesus. “Jackie explained how God thorough His grace redeems us from sin through the blood of Jesus,” said Josh Dickson, team leader for the Northshore Baptist Association team. “God began to work and the lady confessed Jesus as Savior that day. She was joyful beyond belief and exclaimed that she was going to go tell her sister what happened. The lady came back the next day excited about what she shared with her sisters. Her joyful, stress-free demeanor radiated through her face. As team member Jackie Morton exclaimed, ‘It was a blessing just to see life change as a result of Jesus.’” Morton, who is a member of Double Branch Baptist Church in Poteau, Oklahoma, was part of a Northshore Baptist Association team that took a trip June 23-30 to Rapid City, South Dakota. Team members included participants were from First Baptist Church in Ponchatoula, First Baptist Church … [Read more...]