By Philip Timothy, Managing Editor ALEXANDRIA (LBM) -- Four Louisiana Baptist churches were among eight churches and six businesses in four parishes victimized by burglars and vandals in mid-July. Richey Baptist in Deville, Rosefield Baptist in Grayson and New Ouachita Baptist in Enterprise were burglarized while Lakeside Baptist in Pineville had its sign vandalized. According to investigators at the Sheriff offices in the four parishes (Avoyelles, LaSalle, Catahoula and Rapides), it does not appear the string of break-ins were linked in any way. In the break-in at Richey, Pastor Grady Dodge says he has “them on camera.” However, it was hard to make the thieves out as “the security cameras are not the best and the thieves wore long sleeves and hoodies. They definitely didn’t want to be seen.” On July 17, between 12:30 a.m. until 2 a.m., the thieves came to the church three times. At approximately 12:30 that morning, according to surveillance footage they broke into the church for the first time. “They broke in through the Life Center by busting down the door. They rummaged around the different buildings and made their way to a back room behind the sanctuary where they found our fireproof safe.” The thieves … [Read more...]

Baton Rouge — Louisiana Family Forum released its 2016 Legislative Scorecard July 26, providing a tool for Louisiana residents to evaluate members of the Louisiana legislature on key policy votes. The 2016 regular legislative session was augmented by weeks-long special sessions called by the governor before and after the regularly scheduled lawmaking assembly which convened March 14 – June 6. LFF President Gene Mills said his group maintained a constant presence throughout, assessing legislation to provide feedback to stakeholders on key bills. He said they also tracked how House and Senate members voted on these key issues and that the scorecard reflects a measure of a legislator’s actual stand, not just rhetoric, on a range of family values. "We encourage Louisiana residents to take time and evaluate this report,” Mills said. He also asked voters to “analyze how well your lawmakers represented Louisiana family values” and to call each with feedback. Mills announced his organization would be presenting Life and Liberty Awards to the men and women who successfully passed measures promoting life, liberty, and limited government this year. The 2016 recipients are: Rep. Rick Edmonds – HB1019 – prohibits abortion … [Read more...]

By Philip Timothy, Managing Editor JACKSON, Miss. – ‘What an awesome God we serve’ is such a simple yet profound statement. Shane and Kelly Kiper Longoria can attest to it. Eleven days ago, 22-year-old Kelly was abducted at a convenience store on her way to work, shot in the head by her assailant and left for dead in a Winnsboro graveyard. When she was airlifted to the Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit at Jackson Memorial in Jackson, Miss., the doctors told the family the chances were very high Kelly would not make it as they could not remove the bullet. They were concerned what the adverse effects would be by leaving the bullet. Word quickly spread about the tragedy and people immediately began to pray. The prayer chain began slowly, just in the community, but it quickly expanded through family and friends to small groups, Sunday school classes and entire congregations. In less than two days, hundreds and then thousands were lifting the couple up in prayer. “So many people know Shane and Kelly. They are both great kids … well liked and well loved. And, so many people know Miss Lisa (Lisa Kiper is Kelly’s mother) and the Kiper family,” said Craig Beeman, pastor of First Baptist Church in Winnsboro. “They, … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, Louisiana College communications PINEVILLE (LC News) - If you ask Mark Rodie why he and four other men from First Baptist Church Bossier City would give up a Saturday to labor in landscaping at Louisiana College under the sultry July sun, within about a minute he will tell you about Men of Courage. Inspired by the movie “Courageous,” Rodie helped form Men of Courage as part of the men’s ministry at FBC Bossier, where he heads up the church’s ministries to men. “Where are you men of courage?” is a line from the movie that shot through Rodie’s heart a few years ago, but not without leaving the conviction to not only be a man of courage but to lead others to join him. What started as Rodie and his mentor meeting every Friday morning has grown into hundreds of men gathering for breakfast and “a time of rejoicing in the joy of our salvation -- you know, men sharing testimonies of what the Lord is doing in their lives,” Rodie told LCNews. “We will sometimes reference 20 to 30 passages of Scripture. The Bible is our workbook. It really encourages us when we leave to be the Church.” Inspiration from the Bible study moves men like Rodie and those who tore out overgrown shrubbery at LC and who will come back … [Read more...]

By Message Staff WOODWORTH – The site of the new Georgia Barnette Conference Center is anything but quiet this week. Volunteers from throughout the state are busy laying concrete on the front sidewalk of the building, digging drain and fire water lines for the sprinkler system and building cabinets for the coffee bar. Some workers are as young as elementary school age while others are in their 70s. But all have the same goal and mission – contribute to the construction of a center that will house information about influential early-day Louisiana Baptists and become a state-of-the art training facility for the future of missions in Louisiana. Among the volunteers onsite this week is Mackenzie Aymond, who came with fellow youth group members from Calvary Baptist Church in Woodworth. She counted it joy to brave the humidity and follow the example of others who have worked for months on the project. “I have seen all these people sweating and working out here before, so when I heard I would have an opportunity to help out here, I immediately agreed,” Aymond said. “After spending a few hours working on the building, I appreciate what all they have done.” Glorida Beasley came with others from First Baptist Church in … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer JOHNSON BAYOU – The past of Johnson Bayou Baptist Church is filled with far too many memories of damage and destruction caused by two hurricanes in the past 11 years. Yet with each setback its members vowed not to give up, and promised not to dismiss the dream of finally one day rebuilding at its original location off Highway 82. Now that persistence paid off with an official groundbreaking ceremony and the laying of the first boards of a new church building on June 22. “After nearly eight years of not having a building, this is a dream come true,” said Pastor Jack Gandy. Scheduled for completion sometime in September, the new building will be a metal structure with wood interior. Built by Brystar Construction of Beaumont, Texas, the cost is approximately $575,000. To protect itself from possible rising water in the future, the 3,200-sq.-ft. structure will sit on beams 10 feet high. Inside the building will be an auditorium with seating for 100, classrooms, a kitchen with a small fellowship area, restrooms and an elevator. The original structure was damaged when Hurricane Rita made landfall Sept. 24, 2005, as 4-5 feet of floodwaters came inside the building and the high winds ripped … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff RUSTON – On a recent Sunday afternoon, around 200 members of First Baptist Church in Ruston hurried to the lake after its morning worship service, but not for just grilling some burgers or having a good time on the water. They were there to witness a decades-old tradition of the church – baptism for 10 of their fellow church members in a lake on the grounds of Lincoln Parish Park. Some were as young as nine, and others as old as 55. The candidates were as equally diverse in ethnicity, from Anglo to African-American to Chinese. But, they were all there for one reason – to declare publicly before their church family, other friends and even passers-by of their decision to follow Christ. “We talk to folks about salvation and publicly professing their faith at our church but to see people boldly proclaim that in this way is always encouraging,” said Clayton Owen, minister of education at First Baptist Ruston. “If you’re willing to wade out in the lake and have others there to see you do that is a bold witness.” Despite temperatures flirting with the 100 degree mark and the water a bit murky, the setting was perfect for Candia Tims. “To be able to experience nature with God has … [Read more...]