By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA (LBM) – With hurricane season officially here, Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief state director Gibbie McMillan said churches and residents of the state must not delay preparations for the next big storm. “For the most part, people live for the moment and what they can see, not thinking about what emergencies might happen,” McMillan said. “Unfortunately, if they don’t take the initiative, they will be unprepared when something major happens. You can’t be ready for every contingency, but we want people to understand that having a plan in place for hurricane season is important.” Hurricane season was off to a busy start even before it officially began June 1. A sub-tropical system developed in the Gulf of Mexico and formed into the first named storm of the year. Alberto produced heavy rainfall and was cited as the cause for multiple deaths. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts an average to above-average intensity hurricane season for the year, predicting 10-16 named storms with five to nine of these becoming hurricanes -- and one to four of these strengthening into Category 3, 4 or 5 hurricanes that pack winds of more than 110 miles per … [Read more...]

By Philip Timothy, Managing Editor ALEXANDRIA – Mike Shumock knows the day is coming and he wants to be ready. “In the 2020 plan, the vision is to plant more than 300 churches by the year 2020,” said Shumock, the Missions Builder Strategist for Louisiana Baptists. “Since 2013, we are already more than two/thirds of the way toward reaching that goal. “It will not be long before those church plants will want their own buildings,” he said. “And we need to be ready to assist with their building needs.” Shumock plans to mobilize church-based teams, consisting of five to 10 members in different regions of the state through the associations. His regionalized approach would allow associations and churches to better organize resources to help church plants because of close proximity. “It would cut down on the cost, travel, and possibly give teams additional time on the job,” he said. “I am emphasizing associations and churches to organize teams that can meet the needs already here and in the future.” SUCCESSFUL TEST He already has successfully tested his plan. Gulf Coast Baptist Church in Golden Meadow – a two-year-old church plant – needed help remodeling a recently purchased building into a worship center. “We … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer SOUTHBURY, Conn. (LBM) – A Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief team’s week in an area of Connecticut devastated by a tornado in May started off on a high note when they saw a married couple accept Christ. Chaplain Fred Hart had just finished handing off a Bible signed by members of the Eastern Louisiana Baptist Association chainsaw team, May 28, when he asked the male homeowner an eternally significant question – “If you were to die this evening, would you know for sure you would go to Heaven?” “He said, ‘I think so’ and I said, ‘We can make sure of that right now,” Hart recalled. “He was very open to the Gospel and after I walked him through the plan of salvation, he prayed right there to accept Jesus as his Savior. His wife was right there beside him and did the same. I cried because this is what we are all about. It’s not about just cutting up fallen trees or mudding out a home, but presenting the Gospel.” Hart was among nine members of the disaster relief team from Louisiana who were in Southbury May 27-June 2. The team comprised members from Live Oak Baptist Church and Amite Baptist Church in Denham Springs, First Baptist Church in Livingston, Judson Baptist Church in Walker … [Read more...]