By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer SHREVEPORT, La. (LMB) – Summer Grove Baptist Church recently celebrated the last payment on $12 million debt that was previously owed for its 900,000-square-foot facility. Members of the church, who purchased a vacant Shreveport shopping mall in 2003 and relocated there a year later, rejoiced during a unique Nov. 26 note-burning service that featured encouraging remarks by Pastor Heath Peloquin, Pastor Emeritus Wayne DuBose, Pastor Emeritus Billy Crosby and former Senior Pastor Aaron Burgner. Prayers were led by Northwest Baptist Associational Missions Strategist Lane Moore and former church member Ronnie Smith, and there was a substantial celebratory atmosphere. “I’m so proud of our people because they never stopped giving and never gave up,” Peloquin told the Baptist Message. “This has given us a renewed sense of why God has brought us here to do our part to reach Shreveport and be that light of Jesus to a lost and dying world that needs it. Now, I believe there will be new ministry opportunities because of retiring our debt, and we will have a renewed sense of being able to help more in areas where we have not been able to in the past.” When Peloquin became pastor in … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer LAFAYETTE, La. (LBM) – A spiritual awakening is gaining momentum among college students and young adults at First Baptist Church, Lafayette. Since 2019, the group has grown from 25 col­lege students and 15 young adults to 100 college students and 50 young adults, with 12 students and three young adults having been baptized since January (compared to none in 2019). Scott English, who serves as the minister to young adults, attributes the growth to an emphasis on evangelism and dis­cipleship. “There are a lot of good quality young people who are being responsive to the Gospel and obedient to the Lord’s calling on their lives,” English told the Baptist Message. “They are embracing the need to share Jesus and be dis­ciples.” GROWING IN CHRIST Each week, the col­lege students and young adults meet separately for Bible study on Sundays and discipleship sessions on Wednesdays. They also meet at other times throughout the week when they sharpen each other further to become fully devoted followers of Christ. The group’s lead­ers gather every Tuesday for prayer and purposeful in-person outreach, and others are invited to join them. Additionally, they share the Gospel on … [Read more...]

By Baptist Community Ministries news NEW ORLEANS (BCM) – Baptist Community Ministries, a faith-based private foundation providing philanthropic services and promoting health and well-being to the greater New Orleans area, has promoted Christy Ross to chief operating officer. Ross most recently served as Senior Vice President of Grants. “I am thrilled to announce the well-deserved promotion of Christy to this new and pivotal role within our organization,” said Inman Houston, president and CEO of BCM. “She has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, strategic vision and a deep commitment to not only our organization’s values but to our partners as well.” In this role, Ross will leverage her extensive expertise to drive BCM’s service activities and to lead all of BCM’s programs in the areas of chaplaincy, congregational wellness and grants. This move not only recognizes Ross as a key architect of the organization’s current success but also positions her to play a central role in shaping BCM’s legacy as a community convener for collective impact. Ross joined the BCM team seven years ago as health grants program director. Ross also has served in various leadership roles at the National Association for the … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff KIHEI, Hawaii (LBM) – A Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief feeding team has been activated for ministry on the island of Maui, Hawaii. The team of four from First Baptist Church, Slidell, have been cooking meals, from Dec. 5-21, for 80 members of Southern Baptist DR and other organizations and staff of the Hagaii International Institute, the host site. Maui was impacted by a series of wildfires that broke out in early August. At least 99 people died and more than 2,200 buildings were destroyed. LBDR Strategist Stan Statham said it will cost $15,000-$20,000 to prepare three meals a day. “Because the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention is so small and limited in their financial resources, we wanted to take on the entire cost for this response,” Statham told the Baptist Message. “Pray for the recovery workers we will feed and for the residents still struggling to recover.” Bruce Efferson, blue hat for the team, added this is a way to give back to others who helped his church and city recover from Hurricane Katrina in 2005. “We received a ton of help after Katrina, so we now are privileged to go and help others,” Efferson said. “God has called us to this work and we are blessed to have the … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – For the past 15 years, Stacy Morgan has championed Louisiana Baptist pastors around the state through multiple roles on the state missions team. Morgan, who is set to retire Dec. 31 from the Louisiana Baptist commu­nications team, said he is grateful for the opportu­nity to build relationships with pastors. “I have enjoyed being able to love and encour­age pastors,” Morgan told the Baptist Message. “I’ve met and had the privilege of loving so many pastors over the last 15 years and would encourage them not to grow weary in well doing. Though we may not see the fruit now, we know the laborers do not go unrewarded. Each of us has a role. Some sow, some water, but it’s God Who gives the increase.” CALLED TO SERVE Morgan’s journey be­gan as a 16-year-old who actively participated in his local church, Winbourne Avenue Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, but had not realized his need for Jesus. One evening, while sitting under a tree at Dry Creek Baptist Camp, the Holy Spirit brought him under conviction that he needed the Savior. “It occurred to me that I was a sinner, and I had no hope in this life or the life to come,” Morgan said. “I was overwhelmed … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Organizers and participants of the 2023 Youth Evangelism Celebration praised God for the hundreds of students who made decisions for Christ, Nov. 19-20, at the Rapides Parish Coliseum in Alexandria. They also were grateful to Him for the estimated 5,100 teens who attended YEC (the largest annual gathering of Louisiana Baptists). “I would just say that Brandon Lewis, Julie Mitcham and an army of volunteers helped us pull this event off,” Louisiana Baptist Youth Strategist Lee Myers told the Baptist Message. “We could not make it happen without their hard work and commitment to youth ministry in the state of Louisiana. Our goal each year is to create an event that students can connect with, hear the Gospel proclaimed, have the opportunity to respond and also come together as a family of believers. SHINE YOUR LIGHT YEC challenged the Louisiana Baptist youth to share their stories of how Christ changed their lives through messages by Daryl Jones, founder of Point Ministries in Miami, Fla. In his messages, Jones encouraged students to be shining lights of Christ to a dark world. Basing his message on Matthew 5:14-16, Jones told the students … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer MONROE, La. (LBM) – Perry Hancock has much to be thankful for this year. He witnessed numer­ous faith decisions made among the 6,800 children and adults the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and Family Ministries has served this year, but in July he also celebrated his 20th year as president and CEO of the ministry. “I am so thankful to the Lord and to Louisiana Bap­tists for the opportunity to serve at the Children’s Home,” Hancock told the Baptist Message. “I am blessed every day through our staff, the children and families we serve, and by our churches that support the ministry through the Cooperative Program and in many other ways.” Hancock became presi­dent and CEO of the min­istry on July 1, 2003. When he came to the role from New Orleans Baptist Theo­logical Seminary, where he served as dean of gradu­ate studies and associate professor of discipleship, Hancock told trustees of the LBCHFM that he was looking forward to creat­ing a family-style atmo­sphere among workers and administrators and con­tinuing Louisiana Baptists’ desire for the ministry to put children first. Twenty years later, that vision has become reality. NEW MINISTRIES Foster care and … [Read more...]