By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer SLAUGHTER, La. (LBM) – Basil Wicker recently celebrated more than a half century of ministry with First Baptist Church, Slaughter. During the church’s 182nd anniversary service, Sept. 8, the congregation honored Wicker for his 55th year of service as pastor. The event featured messages by his nephews Mark Wicker and Blake Emfinger, both who serve on staff with churches in Mississippi. The church plans to name the new multi-purpose building that is under construction in honor of him. For Wicker, the service was a reminder of a church and community that have held a special place in his heart since he preached his first sermon on July 21, 1969. “It’s been like a dream, a dream come true,” Wicker told the Baptist Message. “The Lord's blessed me and my wife. She is deceased. She and I did not have children, and my prayer was always that God give us children, and he did! My children were the children of the church, and that's my family. “I'm totally committed to the to this body. We have always worked on building relationships and love for one another, and there's always something going on,” he continued. “As for me, I’ve tried to keep things simple. I've not looked for … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – A center to assess potential Louisiana Baptist church planters was launched recently in the facilities of Istrouma Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, by Send Network Louisiana leaders. “This is a big piece to the puzzle for Send Network Louisiana,” Send Network Louisiana Director Lane Corley told the Baptist Message. “To this point, we’ve had to send candidates to other states to finalize their assessments, which can be costly. Now, we’ll have an assessment center right here in Louisiana to launch from, and with an incredible group of Louisiana assessors who’ve planted and pastored churches in our unique context.” Corley expressed his appreciation for the Istrouma congregation’s assistance. The church’s minister of missions, Jay Spivey, will serve as the assessment director. “I’m deeply appreciative of Pastor Tim Keith and the staff at Istrouma, who have extended their warm hospitality to Send Network Louisiana and have integrated this process into their future strategy,” Corley said. During the first Send Network Louisiana assessment retreat at IBC, Sept. 4-5, five candidates were assessed, and 16 assessors were trained. This served as the official … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer MARRERO, La. (LBM) – Troy Gause was headed on a road to destruction when he was in Plaquemines Parish Detention Center in 1998, but an encounter with God inside the jail set him on a path to redemption in Jesus. Gause, who was serving a sentence for drug possession, was at a breaking point and realized he needed to reconnect with Christ, who saved him as a youngster. Vowing to stay close to God, he was released six months later and began to grow in his faith that one day would lead him to become a pastor. “Don't underestimate what God can do with a young man with a broken life and a surrendered heart,” said Gause, who was named “Replanter of the Year” during the 2024 North American Mission Board Replant Summit, Aug. 22-23. Gause, who sensed a call to vocational ministry after his release from prison, enrolled at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 2009. He eventually started Church Without Walls, a ministry that shares Jesus with the homeless and addicted individuals in New Orleans, and in 2017, began Cross Culture Church. REBIRTH Cross Culture Church grew from eight people that first met inside a member’s living room in Marrero to 45 within five years. … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – The Church of today must look like the Church of the First Century that was Spirit-led and Gospel-centered, Waylon Bailey, pastor with First Baptist Church, Covington, said during the recent E4+ Preaching Conference. Citing Acts 2:22-41, Bailey told a crowd of more than 80 pastors and ministry staff and 17 pastors’ wives at First Baptist Church, Pineville, that the church of today must tell the story of Jesus and live holy lives. “What is the church of 2024?” he said. “It is the church that shares hope and that shares salvation in Christ. People are looking around and they want to know is there any hope in my life.” “Our world needs hope and where there is hope there are going to be people,” he continued. “Where there is a way, there are going to be people. Let us be a people who tell the story of Jesus with kindness, compassion, with love toward the people around us. I want more than anything else for you to experience the peace, the love, the joy that I have found in Christ Jesus the Lord. And though my death is a lot closer than it has ever been, I also have great hope to be in the presence of God with the Savior who died for me. I believe that … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – In a state where an estimated 60 percent of the population lacks a relationship with Christ, “Here for You” is helping to remind Louisiana Baptists that a great harvest awaits. Launched in the summer of 2014 as part of the President’s 2020 Commission, the “Here for You” multi-media campaign is attempting to impact the estimated 2.7 million people in Louisiana who do not know Christ. At this point of our strategy, ‘We are not waiting on the harvest,’” Louisiana Baptist communication director John Kyle told the Baptist Message. “The harvest is waiting on us!” Since its statewide launch in 2019, “Here for You” has used social media, streaming services, broadcast television, billboards and more to reach the lost in Louisiana. The campaign has seeded God’s truth through more than 31,000 views of the Gospel presentation and more than 2,100 searches for local churches. Additionally, through a partnership with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, viewers have been directed to a customized landing page for prayer with trained counselors, who share the the Gospel. Such efforts have resulted in more than 4,300 Louisianians who have indicated … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer WOODWORTH, La. (LBM) – During the Sept. 24 general session of the Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board, LBC Executive Director Steve Horn shared how Louisiana Baptists have continued reaching others for Christ. FULFILLING THE GOSPEL Horn said that various ministries are helping fulfill Louisiana Baptists’ ministry purposes in three ways: seeking the lost, strengthening churches and supporting cooperative missions and ministries. In his report, he invited four individuals to share how Louisiana Baptists are fulfilling their mission through various ministries. Breakaway Camp Kevin Roberts, pastor with Trinity Baptist Church, Pineville, shared how his son, Micah, turned to Christ during Breakaway Camp this summer at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center. Roberts was overcome with emotion as he described how his older son, Noah, led his brother to a relationship with Jesus. “My wife and I were rejoicing,” Roberts said. “We knew that something had happened, something had taken place that night, and God had gotten a hold of his heart. “But Micah wasn’t the only one,” he said. “We ended up having three other teenagers from our youth group that committed … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) — Early voting for the General Election will take place Oct. 18-29 (excluding Sundays during that time period) and polls will be open from 8:30 a.m. – 6 p.m. Voters must show one of the following picture identifications in order to vote: Driver's license; Louisiana Special ID; United States military identification card that contains your name and picture; or some other generally recognized picture ID that contains your name and signature. … [Read more...]