By Lane Corley A troubling trend I’ve noted among church plants in Louisiana. Since 2012, professions of faith are down 86 percent and baptisms are down 66 percent in Louisiana church plants. It’s not just church plants. The decline in evangelism outcomes is well-noted across North America. It’s most surprising among church plants, because church planting is supposed to be for the purpose of evangelism. Why the decline? Some possible reasons to note: Contacts and evangelistic contacts are down 52 percent. Church planters should aim for 200 contacts and 50 Gospel conversations per month. 2022 numbers were 81 and 20 per month. We reap what we sow. Sowing the Gospel broadly should be priority No. 1 for church planters. And these should multiply exponentially as team members are added and begin to learn the habits of evangelism and disciple making from the church planter. It’s definitely a changing missional landscape. Evangelism may be harder today than it was 10 years ago. The pace of evangelistic responses may have slowed. This is more reason to share the gospel more broadly than ever before. Ecclesiological issues have taken precedence. Our organizations, logos, websites, and by-laws are in better order than they … [Read more...]
House passes resolution condemning intimidation tactics of pro-abortion activists
By Office of Congressman Mike Johnson WASHINGTON - The United States House of Representatives recently passed a congressional resolution condemning the nationwide wave of violence, property damage, threats, trespassing, and intimidation against pro-life organizations in 2022 by pro-abortion activists in the wake of the Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade. The resolution was sponsored by 136 House Republicans led by House Republican Conference Vice Chairman Mike Johnson (LA-04), and is the fifth piece of legislation to pass the House so far this year. “Since there has been so little accountability for the leaked draft Dobbs opinion and ensuing violence and intimidation against pro-lifers, we are making the position of Congress crystal clear: violence, property damage, threats, and intimidation tactics must be condemned, and these clear violations of federal and state laws must be prosecuted,” said Johnson, a member of Cypress Baptist Church, Benton. “I thank Speaker McCarthy and our entire House Republican leadership team for making this resolution one of the first priorities of the 118th Congress.” Read the text of the resolution here. Representatives Robert Aderholt (AL), Mark Amodei (NV), Jodey Arrington … [Read more...]
Congressman Mike Johnson to Newsmax: punish threats on pro-life groups
Twitter revelation (Cartoon: Church of the Covered Dish)
New Year’s Resolution (Cartoon: Beyond the Ark)
Grace is everything (Cartoon: Joe McKeever)
Cotton Bowl: Tulane’s Anderson gives God the victory
By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – Typically, Nick Anderson is a vocal presence on gridiron as an all-conference linebacker for the Tulane Green Wave, but he was at a loss for words as he looked across AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas, following a comeback win in the 2023 Cot[1]ton Bowl. Anderson registered five tackles as Tulane, the number 16 team in the nation, erased a 15-point deficit in fewer than five minutes to pull off a 46-45 upset of the 10th-ranked University of Southern California. According to the Athletic website, over the past five years, Football Bowl Subdivision teams were just 1-1,692 when trailing by 15 points with five minutes to play. A native of Vicksburg, Mississippi, Anderson played four seasons at Tulane. During that time, he amassed 283 tackles, 10.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. “God has always been the head of my life and my journey,” Anderson, who turned to Christ when he was five years old, told the Baptist Message. “My career has been through many trials and tribulations, but He has always shown true to his Word in covering me every step of the way. I’m blessed to be in this position and blessed to have been used as a vessel to help guide this team to a … [Read more...]
Westview sees spiritual revival among students
By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer DERIDDER, La. (LBM) – A spiritual awakening is gaining momentum among the students at Westview Baptist Church. Since November 2021, 17 students have decided to follow Christ at the Deridder congregation. Seven of those have been baptized since Sept. 18, 2022, and another seven are awaiting baptism in a church that averages 115 in Sunday worship. Most of the decisions took place at a 2022 summer camp held at the Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center in Woodworth and at the 2021 Youth Evangelism Celebration in Alexandria. “Our church is seeing a revival because of our students,” Pastor Jason Hoychick told the Baptist Message. “They are inviting their friends and some of them, along with their families, are getting saved. It’s creating an excitement in our congregation, who are experiencing first-hand that if you witness to your friends and invite them to come, you can reach many for Christ.” Meanwhile a renewed emphasis on discipleship is helping students grow deeper in their relationships with Jesus. Hoychick said the primary vehicle for discipleship has been a Wednesday night Bible study. However, he added that students have grown through other opportunities such … [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@baptistmessage.com or call 318.449.4345. To get your event in the paper, please submit your information three weeks prior to the event. ON THE MOVE Robert, wife Amanda, Davis is the new pastor at Maple Springs Baptist Church, Logansport. Chad Ballard is the new pastor at Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, West Monroe. Taylor Auttonberry is the new children’s minister at First Baptist Church, Calhoun. Corey McKinney is the new youth minister and Tyler Willams is the minister of music/worship at Hebron Baptist Church. Russell Hinson has retired as pastor from First Baptist Church, Holden. Stephanie Jeffreys is the new part-time ministry assistant on the LBC’s Missions & Ministry Team. Erin Young Jones is the new LBC’s children/ youth missions strategist. Ken Bryan retires as music minister at First Baptist Church, Calhoun. Brad Watson new as pastor of First Baptist Church, Vidalia from Eastwood Baptist Church, Haughton. Graceann … [Read more...]
Ephesians 4: united by obedience
By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Ephesians 4 offers a transition in Paul’s letter, pivoting from an emphasis on instruction about doctrine to focus, instead, on the application of the principles defined by doctrine. In that regard, Paul emphasized unity through obedience, meaning that if we are “in Christ” (and He is in us) that it should be evident in the way we “walk.” Within this mindset, he called the Christian community in Ephesus to experience this peace which is manifested from “one body and one Spirit … one hope … one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (vv. 3-6). Subsequently, he identified how Christians differ in gifts – “apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” – yet are unified in purpose “for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (vv. 11-12). Paul repeats this point, by explaining that “the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (v. 16). Then Paul … [Read more...]
