By Keith Manuel, Evangelism/Church Growth Team Director The death of Billy Graham is grabbing the headlines in print, on a variety of screens, and over radio waves – avenues he used extensively to spread the gospel. Many are reminiscing on the spiritual counsel he provided Presidents of the United States. Others are remembering his impeccable character, especially during the eighties when ministry failures seemed all too common. While these and many other aspects of his ministry will be discussed, Graham’s use of a simple authoritative phrase, may be his greatest legacy – “The Bible says.” If one reads or listens to the sermons of Billy Graham, a consistent pattern will emerge. He reads the Scripture. He shares what some call “The Big Idea of the Sermon.” Next, he addresses what famous people say or how people live relative to the subject. Finally, he makes an appeal, not based on the authority of Billy Graham nor based on the ideas of great men and women. He makes his appeal on the only authority any preacher ever has. Graham cries out with a clear, resonate voice, “The Bible says…” The phrase flowed so freely from Graham that even a secular newspaper, the Chicago Tribune, used it to describe his pulpit … [Read more...]
Billy Graham’s lasting Louisiana legacy
By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA (LBM) — Billy Graham touched the world with the Gospel message for nearly 67 years after he was ordained in 1939. But he left a special imprint on Louisiana from almost the very start of his Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in 1950 through the first decade of the 21st century: leading crusades in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, and, at Louisiana College in Pineville; comforting victims after Hurricane Katrina; and, paying for the construction of two chapels at Angola prison. Meanwhile, Louisiana Baptists are engaging with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in a project to extend his impact in the state for years to come. EARLY DAYS IN LOUISIANA In 1951, Graham conducted two evangelistic events in the state: April 8-29 in Shreveport, taking one day, April 25, to speak in Pineville at Louisiana College. In anticipation of the Shreveport campaign, M.E. Dodd, pastor emeritus of the First Baptist Church in Shreveport and a past president of the Southern Baptist Convention, wrote in the Baptist Message that 20,000 Louisianans had been gathering in special meetings to bathe the outreach in prayer. He described Graham as “a God intoxicated man” who was calling … [Read more...]
Louisiana Notables
EDITOR’S NOTE: Do you have a Revival, Homecoming, a new pastor, a community outreach or a concert? The Baptist Message would love to share your church news with the rest of the state. It is very easy to do, just send in your information (who, what, where and when) to philip@baptistsmessage.com or call 318.449.4345. To get your event in the paper, please submit your information three weeks prior to the event. HOMECOMING Cotile Baptist Church, Boyce: 36th Homecoming, March 11, 11 a.m. followed by dinner on the grounds. Paul’s Journey will be in concert at 1:30 p.m. A love offering will be taken only. For more information, contact the church at 318.793.8847 or 318.729.0317. Pastor: Johnny Miller. REVIVAL Open Door Baptist Church, Moss Bluff: Revival, March 11-14, Evangelist: Bill Britt. Pastor: Sonny Simpson. Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, Ringgold: Revival, March 11-14. Evangelist: Joe Aulds. Worship: Price Harris. Pastor: Danny Slack. First Baptist Church, Ruston: One Day Revival, March 11, Sunday, 8:45 & 11 a.m. Evangelist: Reggie Thomas. Pastor: Chris Craig. Beauregard Memorial Baptist Church, Longville: Revival, March 11-14. Evangelist: Scotty McDowell, chalk artist. Pastor: Jimmy Clark. New Hope … [Read more...]
Louisiana’s Pourciau to lead search for new IMB president
By Staff, Baptist Message RICHMOND, Va. –During the Feb. 28-March 1 trustee meeting of the International Mission Board, trustee chairman Rick Dunbar named a 16-person president search committee to name a replacement for David Platt who announced Feb. 12 his intention to resign but to stay on board during the search for his successor. The president search committee will be led by Chuck Pourciau, pastor, Broadmoor Baptist Church, Shreveport, Louisiana, committee chair; and Andy Davis, pastor, First Baptist Church, Durham, North Carolina, committee vice-chair. Other members include David Sills, professor, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, president, Reaching & Teaching International Ministries, and, member, Ninth & O Baptist Church, Louisville, Kentucky; Lisa Lovell, physical therapist, and, member, First Baptist Church, Fayetteville, Arkansas; Ken McLemore, missions pastor, Liberty Baptist Church, Hampton, Virginia; Nancy Patrick, licensed school psychologist, professor of special education, and, member, Living Legacy Church, Hershey, Pennsylvania; Will Payne, FCA campus director, Syracuse University, and, member, Central Baptist Church, Syracuse, New York; and, Seth Polk, pastor, Cross Lanes Baptist Church, … [Read more...]
Billboard sharing Pro-Life message vandalized in NOLA
NEW ORLEANS - A billboard sponsored by Louisiana Right to Life and located at Franklin and N. Robertson in New Orleans has been vandalized. The pro-life message has been displayed in that location for several weeks. The vandalism occurred within the past few days. Benjamin Clapper, executive director of Louisiana Right to Life, said: "The pro-life message espoused by Louisiana Right to Life is one of peace. We believe every unborn baby should be protected from the violence of abortion and that mothers deserve to be supported. We are disappointed that people would stoop as low as vandalizing this peaceful message. "Sadly, our messages have been consistently vandalized over the years. We call on Mayor Mitch Landrieu and the New Orleans City Council to denounce these destructive acts in hopes of stopping them before they continue on our future billboards." … [Read more...]
Speaker challenges audience at NOBTS Chapel to “Do Your Part”
By Marilyn Stewart, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS -- Rear Admiral Endel Lee, a Navy Reserve chaplain officer and North American Mission Board church planting catalyst in military communities, challenged a chapel audience at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary to "Do your part" for the Kingdom. The Feb. 8 service included the commissioning of a new Navy chaplain. NOBTS President Chuck Kelley encouraged the audience in opening remarks to consider the varied service opportunities available to chaplains. "It is a special day on our campus because we are focusing our attention on a very particular calling in ministry, one which does not get much attention -- that is, the chaplain," Kelley said. "They make a great impact." Kelley noted chaplains serve in settings ranging from "military to hospital to industry." More than in some fields of ministry, Kelley added, chaplains are "expected" to lead out in spiritual conversations. "They expect a chaplain to be a representative of faith," Kelley said. "This is a high calling indeed." Lee's 35-year military career includes more than 10 years in the Marines and 22 years as a Navy Reserve chaplain, encompassing deployments overseas and mobilizations to New York City … [Read more...]
Famed evangelist Billy Graham’s legacy left lasting impression on Louisiana, pastors
By Staff, Baptist Message News that Billy Graham died during the early morning hours of Feb. 21 prompted reaction from those who admired the famous evangelist, including those in Louisiana Baptist circles. Fred Luter, pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, New Orleans, said a highlight of his time as president of the Southern Baptist Convention was a 2012 visit to the home of Graham. “I felt like I was in the presence of Moses on Mt. Sinai,” Luter told the Baptist Message. “For a kid from the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans to be in the home of the greatest evangelist that ever lived was an unforgettable moment I will cherish for the rest of my life.” Six years earlier, Graham came to New Orleans to lift the spirits of Luter, area pastors and the residents of the area who had lost so much in Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall in August 2005. During his message, Graham told the overflow crowd of 17,800 people at Celebration of Hope in the New Orleans Arena in late February 2016 that it was one of the last evangelistic sermons he would preach and that he was looking “forward to a big reunion one day in heaven” with his long-time crusade colleagues George Beverly Shea and Cliff Barrows.” The … [Read more...]
Billy Graham, God’s Ambassador, passes away at the age of 99
By Staff, Baptist Message Billy Graham , the great Christian evangelist whose worldwide crusades and role as adviser to decades of U.S. presidents made him one of the best known religious figures of his time, died of natural causes early Wednesday morning at age 99 at his home in Montreat, N.C. according to a release by by his family. After answering the altar call at a revival during the Great Depression, this North Carolina farm boy went on to become a pastor to 12 U.S. presidents and used his crusades to alter the lives of millions of people around the world. In a career spanning more than 60 years, Graham, who was called ‘God’s Ambassador’ took his simple Christian message -- God Loves You -- to more people in history according to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website. More than 84 million people in almost 60 countries – including multitudes of spiritually starved believers behind the communist Iron Curtain had their lives altered by Graham. Add those who heard him live, via satellite, and the numbers jump to 210 million people in 185 countries. "My one purpose in life," Graham said, "is to help people find a personal relationship with God, which, I believe, comes through knowing Christ." God … [Read more...]
Agarwal challenges students to focus on ‘Next’ things in life
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – Rahul Agarwal challenged students attending the recent Collegiate Evangelism Conference to consider how their everyday choices impact their future. “When you ask about what’s next, are you thinking of what’s tomorrow or what’s in your future or are you thinking of what’s in light of eternity,” said Agarwal, the director of men and married couples at Gwinnett Church, a campus of the non-denominational North Point Community Church in Atlanta, Ga., and a former Baptist Collegiate Ministry director at the University of South Florida. “So many times we are so relegated to now. We just think of now,” he continued. “We worry about our own lives instead of thinking of eternity and thinking about what God has for us.” Responding to his challenge to include Christ in their future, 10 students came forward to declare Christ the Lord of their lives, while many others answered the Holy Spirit’s call to follow Christ in obedience on a daily basis. Agarwal’s messages were part of a two-day conference that included seminars, worship led by the House Band – a group comprised of former Baptist Collegiate Ministry members from around the state – and a late-night fellowship. The … [Read more...]
‘Plenty of good news’ highlights LBF Board meeting
By Jerry Love, LBF donor relations ALEXANDRIA (LBM) – Positive economic news, the welcoming of two new trustees and a budget surplus to finish 2017 highlighted the quarterly meeting of the Louisiana Baptist Foundation Board of Trustees meeting February 6 Members also learned that $1.7 million in donations benefiting Louisiana Baptists’ ministries had been received in 2017 and the Foundation was still seeking new accounting software. Trustees also discussed changing the current format of the Board’s meeting. INVESTMENT UPDATES Lee Morris, Investment Consultant with Graystone Consulting, gave trustees a glowing update on the performance of the LBF portfolio and general overview of market conditions. In his remarks, Morris described the equity markets as “having a banner year” with emerging markets and developed international equities leading the way. He said the expectation is for international equities to continue to outperform domestic equities, possibly for several years. Other issues he addressed: --Fixed income positions are, as expected, are producing very modest returns. -- Convertible securities and preferred stocks, have done well compared to their indices and added value to the fund mix in … [Read more...]
