Click to Login or Sign Up

Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

The GBO’s impact: salvation decisions through church planting

By James Jenkins, Louisiana Baptists church planting director Since 2010, 11,194 people have made a decision to follow Christ as Lord and Savior in church plants that the GBO helped to support. In that same time frame, 2,908 people submitted to baptism in church plants that the GBO helped to support. When Louisiana Baptists give to the GBO, they help to support church planters who have a passion to preach the Gospel to all kinds of peoples in all kinds of places. Named for the first executive director of the Woman’s Missionary Union, the Georgia Barnette Offering’s annual Week of Prayer is set for Sept. 10-17. The theme for this year is “Why Wait, For They Are Ready” inspired by John 4:35. This year’s offering goal is $1.7 million.   … [Read more...]

Crossroads Baptist issues call to help feed first responders, Harvey victims

VINTON - Crossroads Baptist Church has issued an immediate call for help providing meals for those affected by Hurricane Harvey, as well as for first responders. Pastor Rob Tibbitts said in an e-mail that volunteers will assist in one of two areas - cooking and serving. Some volunteers are needed to work in an outdoor kitchen, lifting large (often heavy) trays of food and need to be able-bodied. The cooking shifts are from 5 a.m. to noon, and from noon to 8 p.m. Other volunteers will work in the church kitchen, with the help of their Serve Team leaders, to serve meals and clean up the serving area afterwards. The serving shifts are from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. To volunteer, call the church office at 337.589.7140 or, if no one answers the phone, call 337.526.0738. … [Read more...]

EDITORIAL: Louisianans should not pay for AMC’s pornographic portrayal of Christ

By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA (LBM) – The AMC series “Preacher” has portrayed Christ in a graphic sex scene that combines blasphemy with pornography, and regrettably Louisiana tax payers appear to be on the hook to pay for it ... MAYBE. The August 21 episode titled, “Dirty Little Secret,” showed an actor playing the role of Jesus having sex with a married woman in an extended, graphic scene with explicit vocals. The director used shadows and silhouettes to soften the two figures as they engaged in various sexual positions, but these cinematic techniques did not disguise the pornography. FAST MONEY According to news reports, Season 2 for the series was filmed in New Orleans earlier this year – presumably, including the offending episode. This makes the show eligible for state tax credits under a Louisiana law passed in 2002 intended to foster growth in the state’s film industry, also known as “Hollywood South.” The statutory program offers a 30 percent transferable tax credit for qualified in-state production expenses, including resident and non-resident labor. On top of that, in-state labor costs receive an extra 10 percent payroll tax credit. Using the data AMC filed with Louisiana Entertainment … [Read more...]

Georgia Barnette Offering helps expand the Gospel

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer CALHOUN – Josh Elliff was at a spiritual crossroad in early 2016. He was a staff member for a congregation that was growing, thriving, and reaching their city… but still he was not at peace, believing God was about to move him and his wife. He and Jacqueline were happy at Fielder Church in Arlington, Texas, but he knew he had been called to be a pastor, and that God had him there to prepare for this next step. After a season of prayer, the Arkansas native was offered the possibility of leading a Calhoun, Louisiana, campus of First Baptist Church, West Monroe, which was expanding as a multi-site congregation. “God just put a burden on our hearts,” Elliff said. “He really just broke our hearts for the people here, just the need, the lostness that was in the community.” EXPANDING THE GOSPEL According to local pastors and demographic studies conducted by First West Monroe, roughly 6,900 out of the 7,745 people in the Calhoun zip code do not attend a worship service at any church on Sunday. With a five percent annual population growth rate projection, that number is likely to grow, further solidifying the need for expanding the Gospel there. “The fact is there are some great … [Read more...]

Northshore churches, firefighters giving back in wake of Harvey

By Message Staff INDEPENDENCE – Churches of the Northshore Baptist Association and the Tangipahoa Parish Fire Department are teaming up to bring some Christian love to Hurricane Harvey survivors in Texas. They are filling up a 20,000-sq.-ft. warehouse with supplies for shipment to multiple locations in Texas, including a fire department in Houston. Already, two shipments have been delivered to the Texas communities of Vidor and Beaumont. Kent Newell, Northshore Baptist Association church planting strategist, said they were more than willing to give back to communities that helped the area during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and more recently the record flooding last year. “The opportunity gives me chills and deeply moves me,” Newell said. “Collecting and delivering these items allows us to be the hands and feet of Jesus.” The warehouse began accepting donations Tuesday, Sept. 5, and has no ending date yet. Water, non-perishable food, bedding items, baby formula, diapers and cleaning supplies are being accepted at this time. Anyone interested in donating should drop the goods off at any Northshore church, which will then make the delivery to the warehouse. … [Read more...]

Federal court of appeals affirms right to public prayer

By Ruth Wisher, Louisiana Attorney General's Office BATON ROUGE – Legislative prayers led by county commissioners at public meetings do not violate the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, affirmed the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry, who filed a brief in support of preserving this aspect of religious freedom, praised the court’s ruling. “This is a victory for religious freedom, and I applaud the court for its decision,” Landry said. “I am proud to have played a part in this affirmation of religious liberty being a fundamental right of all Americans.” By a 9-6 vote on Bormuth v. Jackson County, the Sixth Circuit ruled that county commissioners in Jackson, Michigan did not violate the Establishment Clause by opening their public meetings with a prayer. “From the days when States had established religions, to the period both before and after the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment, to the present day – lawmakers have led prayers at the state and local levels,” Landry said.. “And the governing Establishment Clause test recognizes that prayer practices that have stood the test of time are constitutionally permissible.” General Landry joined an amicus brief … [Read more...]