As Easter approaches, the Baptist Message team invites you to pause daily from the hustle and bustle of life to focus on the days leading up to Easter or Resurrection Sunday. Join us in this challenge to read through the Gospels to get a greater understanding of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection. Day 11: Luke 19-20 (NKJV) ========================= (Luke 19) Jesus Comes to Zacchaeus’ House 1 Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. 2 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. 3 And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way.5 And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus,make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” 6 So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully. 7 But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, “He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner.” 8 Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) - The Department of Homeland Security has announced that it will be accepting requests starting either April 12 or April 16 for grants to be used to upgrade the security of facilities of nonprofits such as churches and religious schools to deal with the continuing threat of violence against such institutions because of their “ideology, beliefs or mission.” There will be a limited time to apply, only two-three weeks according to state sources, so churches are urged to turn in their write-ups as close to April 16 as possible. If the deadline cannot be met, churches are urged to submit the package as soon as possible, anyway, to be considered for next year. The U.S. Congress provided $60 million for the FY19 program, which also covers synagogues and mosques, and Louisiana is expected to receive about $200,000 to $300,000 of that allocation. Last year, the state approved four grant requests, a state official told the Baptist Message. Examples of items that are allowable for the funding include costs related to: Planning – development of security risk management plans, continuity of operations plans, and response plans. Equipment – purchase and installation of access … [Read more...]

As Easter approaches, the Baptist Message team invites you to pause daily from the hustle and bustle of life to focus on the days leading up to Easter or Resurrection Sunday. Join us in this challenge to read through the Gospels to get a greater understanding of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection. Day 10: Luke 17-18 (NKJV) ========================= (Luke 17) Jesus Warns of Offenses 1 Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! 2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. 3 Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you,rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.” Faith and Duty 5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” 6 So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. 7 And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say … [Read more...]

As Easter approaches, the Baptist Message team invites you to pause daily from the hustle and bustle of life to focus on the days leading up to Easter or Resurrection Sunday. Join us in this challenge to read through the Gospels to get a greater understanding of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection. Day 9: Luke 15-16 (NKJV) ========================= (Luke 15) The Parable of the Lost Sheep 15 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 So He spoke this parable to them, saying: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. The Parable of the Lost Coin 8 “Or what woman, having ten silver [c]coins, … [Read more...]

Two Louisiana Baptist mud out teams are responding to a call for help in the wake of the recent flooding in Nebraska. The team of two from Lake Charles left Monday, March 25, and a team of 12 from Eastern Louisiana Baptist Association left Wednesday, March 27, for Fremont, Nebraska. They are expected to remain there a week. Heavy rain and melting snow caused rivers to reach historic levels in early March across Nebraska, including Fremont. Road closures from the flooding made it impossible to enter and leave Fremont, which is about 35 miles northwest of Omaha, was blocked for more than a week, and nearly 1,000 homes and 100 businesses in the community were damaged, according to KLKN-TV news station in Lincoln, Nebraska. Louisiana Baptist state disaster relief director Gibbie McMillan said nearly 250,000 people were displaced from their homes in areas damaged by flooding in areas of the Midwest. He said 125,000 of those cannot return to their homes. “Pray for the will of the people to survive a disaster of this magnitude,” McMillan said. “And we pray they will know t and knowing that through it all God will sustain his people.” … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – Do not abandon the church but become part of the solution for positive change, Richard Blackaby, president of Blackaby Ministries International, urged students at a special Louisiana College chapel service March 26. “This is a critical day for the church,” Blackaby said. “But the answer lies in rooms just like this with young people filled with talent, filled with ability, filled with leadership skills, who might say whatever else God has me to do with my career, some of the most important things that I may do with my life is stepping alongside a church and helping it to become everything God intends for it. I pray that will be so.” Blackaby, the son of Experiencing God author Henry Blackaby, said he has heard too many people proclaim plateauing churches must die. But, as he cited in Colossians 1:15-18, Christ is the head of the church and God’s plan to reach humanity is through the church. “Satan hates the church because it’s God’s answer for people’s sin,” he said. “It’s God’s solution to help people get to heaven. And Satan hates the church and he will do everything in his power to destroy the church.” Blackaby said Satan tries to accomplish this by filling the … [Read more...]

As Easter approaches, the Baptist Message team invites you to pause daily from the hustle and bustle of life to focus on the days leading up to Easter or Resurrection Sunday. Join us in this challenge to read through the Gospels to get a greater understanding of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection. Day 8: Luke 13-14 (NKJV) ========================= (Luke 13) Repent or Perish 1 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree 6 He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA (LBM) -- After announc­ing in January that “some” stores would be closing due to “an accelerated rate of ero­sion” of sales “in the brick and mortar chan­nel,” LifeWay announced March 20 that it would shutter all of its bookstores. The January announcement was ac­companied by a Baptist Press analysis of LifeWay’s 2010-2017 audits showing “total operating expenses exceeded sales” eight years in a row, growing in deficit each year from $2.3 million to $35.5 million. Moreover, the revised March plan to shutter “all” and not “some” of its stores comes amid a leadership change for LifeWay. Thom Rainer announced in August 2018 his intentions to “step down” as president and CEO “when the new CEO is named, or in one year, whichever comes first.” He had served as LifeWay CEO since February 2006 when he left the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where he was the dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism for 12 years. On March 4 LifeWay announced that Rainer had expressed “a desire to move forward with his retirement effective Feb. 28” and the trustees named Executive Vice President Brad Waggoner as “acting president and CEO of LifeWay until a new president is named” … [Read more...]