By Will Hall, Philip Timothy and Brian Blackwell, Message Staff ALEXANDRIA -- “The need is great,” according to John Hebert, responding about the massive flooding which struck the southern part of the state after record rainfall began August 12. Hebert, state mission director who also oversees Louisiana Baptists’ combined disaster relief efforts, said the flooding has been historic, citing statistics from emergency management officials that 40,000 homes have been impacted, so far, and in some places 75 percent of them destroyed. “Some folks on the ground are suggesting upwards of 60,000 homes may be affected,” he told the Baptist Message. “Importantly, this disaster comes just a little over four months after the record spring floods which devastated the northern part of the state,” Hebert said. “This is significant because about 70 percent of Louisiana Baptist volunteers are in that part of the state, and they dealt with losses while simultaneously helping others for weeks. Now, they just got their homes in order and we are asking them to step up, again, for this recovery effort. “We need more volunteers, we need donations to purchase supplies and we need more prayers,” Hebert emphasized. RAINS FELL, WATERS … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA - On his way to Denham Springs to minister to people devastated by the historic floods, Gevan Spinney, president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, told the Baptist Message he wanted folks to know help is coming. HOPE Spinney said he wanted “our friends” and “brothers and sisters” to rest assured Louisiana Baptists “are praying for you, and, we are coming.” “I know from experience being where you are it seems like it takes a while. But we want you to know the cavalry is on its way,” he emphasized. “I’ve been up here at the convention building and I’ve seen the command center,” Spinney shared. “It’s getting organized. They are putting things in place. “I looked on a board showing where shower trailer units and mud-out teams from all around are coming. Feeding trailers are coming from all over the states,” he continued. “Southern Baptists are on the way to get boots on the ground to help you through this.” HELP Spinney also made an appeal to “our churches north of Opelousas.” “Now is the time to help,” he said. “We’ve been through this. We know what it’s like. We don’t just have sympathy for our fellow Louisiana brothers and sisters in the south who have been … [Read more...]

Please pray for these pastors, whose homes were damaged by recent flooding. Jay Avance, First Baptist Church, Baker Thomas and Bethany Fletcher, Faith Baptist Church, Baker Jeff Ginn, Istrouma Baptist Church, Baton Rouge Lonnie Tucker, Still Water Baptist Church, Hammond Josh Powell, Woodland Baptist, Springfield David Collins, Blood River Baptist Church, Albany Darryl Woolery, Tammany Hills Baptist Church, Covington, Chris Fuselier, First Baptist Church, Youngsville Pat Deshotel, First Baptist Church, Welsh Jered Thomas, First Baptist Church, Lake Arthur Carolyn Conerly, widow of Roderick Conerly former LBC employee and Pastor Tommy Hicks, Antioch Baptist Church, Tickfaw Lee Rogers, First Baptist Church, Kaplan Larry  and Elizabeth Langley, The Garden Baptist Church, Lafayette Kyle Sullivan, Woodlawn Baptist Church, Baton Rouge Deleece Nichols, First Baptist Church, Lafayette Bruce Worrell, Sherwood Baptist, Baton Rouge   … [Read more...]

By Philip Timothy, Managing Editor FRENCH SETTLEMENT -- The crew of the UH-60L Black Hawk helicopter was assigned search and rescue duties Aug. 15, flying along the Amite River when a small group of people flagged them down. The chopper, part of F Co 2-135th AVN, an Army National Guard aviation support unit based in Pineville, hovered as team members tried to assess the needs of those stranded on the ground. NOT A TYPICAL MONDAY “We could see a walker sitting in the small boat and an elderly lady sitting in the boat,” said Staff Sergeant Chad McCann, a member of Union Baptist Church, Deville. “We realized we couldn’t do a hoist rescue so the pilots [Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jesse Curtis and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Walt Clement] inched the chopper down to a small sand island between two houses. As the medic, Staff Sergeant Scott Hamilton, went over to assess the needs, McCann borrowed a small boat and followed after him. What they found was much more than they anticipated. “Not only was there an elderly woman, but she had just recently had brain surgery,” McCann said. “There also was a young mother (the woman’s daughter) and two small children. We quickly got the grandmother secured in the helicopter and I went … [Read more...]