By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BATON ROUGE – When 8-year-old Taylor Henry saw the devastation caused by August flooding in southern Louisiana, she realized something must be done. What she did not foresee is how her desire would turn into an effort that raised more than $7,000 for those affected by the disaster. Henry, her parents and grandparents made the journey to Woodlawn Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, where she presented a check during the Oct. 9 worship service. The youngster was all smiles as she handed over the donation, which will be used to purchase sheetrock to help rebuild houses and churches in the area. “This was a really good experience for me and one of the most exciting things I’ve ever done,” said Henry, whose family are members of Airline Baptist Church in Bossier City. “I probably won’t experience anything like this again. The flooding was really bad in south Louisiana. “I felt horrible for how bad the flooding was but felt glad I got to help the flood victims physically in their homes and by raising money for them,” she continued. “The donation I brought may not be the biggest donation but it was able to save a couple of houses by buying materials. I really think God gave me this … [Read more...]

By Tammy Sharp, Regional Reporter PELICAN - On the last night of Girls Camp at Clara Springs Baptist Encampment this past summer, my friend and pastor’s wife Julie Bell (First Baptist Church in Hornbeck) and I were celebrating because with the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we’d spent the whole week making sure all 19 girls in Bobcat cabin knew Jesus. We pulled campers aside every day to talk about Jesus as they swam circles around us in the pool; as we braided hair and gently combed out monstrous tangles; as we canoed and fished; as we sternly insisted on the need for showers every day; as we enjoyed s’mores and learned about missions; as we pondered the mysteries of missing socks and shoes and towels that disappear into thin air; as we looked frantically for missing snack shack cards; as we moaned about the heat and the long line in the dining hall; as we painted nails; as we learned new recipes; and even as we doled out discipline for too much talking during FOB (Flat on Bunk, or in layman’s terms: nap time). By the last day, we were exhausted. But camp wasn’t over. We were lining up for supper when we saw our youngest Bobcat sitting alone and crying. A few questions revealed that her grandmother had not yet arrived. Phone … [Read more...]

By Tammy Sharp, Regional Reporter PELICAN - The Holy Spirit did some serious work at Clara Springs Baptist Encampment this summer, according to Camp Manager Bubba Mills and counsellors who attended sessions with their church groups. Mills said he habitually leads his staff through an in-depth Bible study during the summer. “This summer I was really praying about what we were going to do,” he said, which led him to Jerry Rankin’s A Challenge to Great Commission Obedience, a collection of 40 commissioning sermons by the president emeritus of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board. “Now that I look back I realize every week they were reading four sermons telling them to do what God told them to do, no matter what,” said Mills of his staff. “It was the repetitive voice of God telling us over and over and over that we can do more, that we’re not doing enough, that we need to go.” The result was that intentional evangelism infused the camp, even among those who had no idea of what was going on behind the scenes. Mills said his young adult staffers came out of their shells to share the gospel and several recommitted their lives to Christ through baptism. With a little over 200 salvations recorded from the … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer Approximately 300 students from the state’s Baptist Collegiate Ministries obeyed this summer a simple yet profound one-word command by Christ – go. Seventeen BCMs commissioned their students earlier in the spring to preach the Gospel from the highways and byways of Louisiana to the mountaintops and valleys of some of the most unreached areas of the world. Yet, each had a unique experience to live and a powerful, life-changing Gospel message to give. This year students participated in one of the most fruitful summers ever for collegiate missions. Students shared the Gospel in 5 countries. New this year to the program was the launch of a marketplace evangelism team called GoLA innovators. Through this effort, students go to pre-arranged locations, land a market place job to support themselves on the field and work with local missionaries to evangelize and disciple. Local missionaries take an active role in discipling and mentoring students.  Witnesses in Jerusalem and Judea A summer ministering in many Louisiana towns was an impetus for a greater spiritual walk for Kennedy Parson, a member of the BCM at Northwestern State University. As a member of the GOLA VBS team, … [Read more...]