Randy Harper, senior pastor of Bellaire Baptist Church, Bossier City, recently returned from a trip to China as an international Kung Fu world champion. Harper, an instructor at Bellaire Wushu Academy, Bossier City, traveled with three of his students to compete in the World Kung Fu Championships in Emeishan, China. according to a recent article in the Bossier Parish-Tribune. More than 3,900 competitors from more than 70 countries participated in the event. Harper won a gold medal in the master’s division. One of his students took home a silver and bronze medal and another captured two bronze medals. … [Read more...]

By Message Staff Louisiana Baptist churches looking for a unique missions opportunity should consider partnering with a missions organization in Wales. Through a partnership with Missional Links Wales, churches have a variety of options available to share the Gospel in a country where just 60,000 out of a population of 3 million profess to be evangelical, according to Rob Burns, founder and international director of the organization. Opportunities include a one-week vision trip, one week missions trip, internships for college students and an apprenticeship for seminary graduates and other adults. Burns shared more about the options during a recent presentation at the Baptist Building in Alexandria to pastors, Louisiana Baptist Convention missions and ministry strategists and Baptist Collegiate Ministers. “We’d love to talk to any American missional oriented church who would like long term partnership in Wales and who would like to get involved in investing inside the counties and across the nation of Wales,” Burns told the Baptist Message. “In Wales, currently 2 percent or less are evangelical. But there is an openness to Americans and the American culture. The Welsh people like Americans and they love to talk to … [Read more...]