By Norm Miller, Louisiana College communications PINEVILLE - Louisiana Colleges announced today that new student enrollment is up 14.5 percent compared to the same time last year. The school announced Sept. 7 it has enrolled 255 new freshmen and 61 transfer students for the fall semester. “We are elated to see the reversal of a 5-year trend,” LC President Rick Brewer said. Additionally, the college’s recently launched Certificate in Pastoral Ministry and Missiology tracks of study enrolled 21 new students, but they are not reflected in the 14.5 percent increase. Overall headcount at LC is up 1.5 percent compared to the same time last year - from 1,109 to 1,126, and dormitory occupancy is up by 6.5 percent. “Our spring-to-fall 2016 retention rate of 82 percent, however, is very encouraging,” Brewer said. “An increased enrollment of first-time freshmen, a substantial number of transfer students, and a commendable retention rate indicate that families and students are discovering the outstanding value and excellent academic experience that Louisiana College provides.” Brewer told LCNews there are many reasons for the increases. “We initiated aggressive and strategic marketing strategies, and are experiencing … [Read more...]

By Message Staff BATON ROUGE – A few days after flooding sent several feet of water into thousands of buildings in southern Louisiana, LSU Baptist Collegiate Ministry Director Steve Masters was contacted by a collegiate minister in Georgia with an offer – fans and dehumidifiers. Sky Pratt, collegiate minister at Prince Avenue Baptist Church in Bogart, Ga., orchestrated a drive and collected more than 100 fans and 45 dehumidifiers, which were delivered to Masters and distributed within a few days. Now, Masters is issuing a call for more donations of fans and dehumidifiers. “Some of the flooded homeowner’s greatest needs are dehumidifiers and fans,” said Masters, whose own home was filled with 58 inches of water last month. “It is of critical importance in rebuilding to have the moisture out of the studs and walls of a house. Any type will work.” Among those who have received a dehumidifier is Wayne Vincent, an 86-year-old retired minister of education at Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge. He is grateful Southern Baptists stepped up in his time of need and urges all Southern Baptists to continue sending donations of any kind. “I would like to thank Prince Avenue Baptist Church for loaning me this dehumidifier … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer LAFAYETTE – As he passed by a local fast food restaurant, Wayne Barber felt a nudging by the Holy Spirit to stop and see what God had in store for he and his fellow Southern Baptist Disaster Relief team members. When Barber did, the Southern Baptists of Texas Disaster Relief chaplain found a worker in the establishment discouraged and in need of hope after flooding in mid-August left her apartment uninhabitable. Moments later, Barber offered her something that would never wash away or be destroyed – a lasting relationship with Jesus Christ. She would be the first person over the next three days in the same restaurant and in the same booth – and one of nearly 40 altogether during Barber’s eight days there – to make a decision for Christ. “There were three people in a row at the same booth, three days in a row, all accepting Christ,” said Barber, still all smiles after his week in Louisiana. “It was amazing how we were going down the road and the Holy Spirit nudged us to go in there, even though we really hadn’t planned to at first. “Every night when we go to bed we pray the Lord would prepare divine appointments the next day,” said Barber, a member of Hillcrest Baptist Church … [Read more...]