EUNICE – Acadian Baptist Center is to host a winter youth retreat Friday and Saturday, Dec. 14 and 15. Call 337.457.9047 for information. ZACHARY – A fellowship to honor Reggie Bridges’ recent graduation from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary with a PhD is to follow the morning worship service Sunday, Dec. 16, at First Baptist. Bridges is pastor. MONROE – The Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home collects UPC labels from Campbell soup cans for redemption of merchandise, which can be used in its ministry. They may be mailed to the Children’s Home at PO Box 4196, Monroe LA 71211. FARMERVILLE – Zion Hill Baptist recently celebrated Latance Futch’s college graduation from Liberty University through the Distant Learners’ Program at age 87. DUBACH – New Prospect Baptist is to host a Christmas gift wrapping event from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15. LEESVILLE – East Leesville Baptist singles’ Christmas trip to Natchitoches is set for Friday, Dec. 21 with dinner at Mariners, and downtown for coffee and Christmas lights viewing. Gil Arthur is pastor. SHREVEPORT – A Parents Night Out is set for 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 15. Youth will do the babysitting while parents Christmas shop. Cost is $5. The church is … [Read more...]

COMINGS, GOINGS Matt Taylor, resigned as pastor of Conway Baptist, Marion. Jeff Sanford, new as minister of music at Sardis Baptist, Farmerville. Steve Leach, resigned as associate pastor for administration of education at First Baptist, Ruston. Tee Don White Jr., new as pastor at Calvary Baptist, Homer, from  Texarkana, Texas. Joel Hilbun interim pastor at Vietnamese Hope Baptist, Baton Rouge. Henry Geter new as minister of music at Broussard Grove Baptist, Broussard, from Eden Baptist. Gerald Hull, new as pastor of Macedonia Baptist, Holden. Clovis Christman, new as pastor of Sandel Drive Baptist, Monroe Garry Massey, new as pastor of Antioch Baptist, Bastrop. NEEDED Parks Baptist, Parks, needs music minister. Call 337.845.4891. First Baptist, Bastrop, needs paid nursery worker. Call 318.281.6885. Philadelphia Baptist, Deville, needs part-time office assistant. Call 318.442.0754. Mt. Hope Baptist, Oakdale, needs part-time youth minister. Send resume to PO Box 544, Oakdale LA 71463. Concord-Union Association needs pastors at the following churches:  Bethel, Canaan, Choudrant First, Conway, Farmerville First, Litroe, Mt. Ararat, New Prospect, Saint Rest, Union Grove and University. … [Read more...]

Louisiana College President Joseph Aguillard recently served on Bobby Jindal’s Advisory Council for Education. BATON ROUGE – Louisiana College President Joseph Aguillard recently served on Bobby Jindal’s Advisory Council for Education. The council held two hearings in which invited guests spoke on education issues related to the Governor-elect’s education policy chapter released during his recent gubernatorial campaign. The purpose of the hearings was an attempt to research those issues on a deeper level, to examine what Louisiana is doing well, and to identify areas for improvement. The first meeting was held on the campus of LSU in Baton Rouge in late November and the second in Shreveport as recently as Dec. 6.  Erin Bendily, Education Policy Director, with the Office of Governor-Elect Bobby Jindal, said about Dr. Aguillard, “His experience and leadership in K-12 and post-secondary education was a tremendous asset to the council.”   … [Read more...]

Singing is an integral part of a church service, but the hymns and worship songs are much more than words and music. They are teaching tools that help a group of believers grow in their relationship with Christ and His church. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – Singing is an integral part of a church service, but the hymns and worship songs are much more than words and music. They are teaching tools that help a group of believers grow in their relationship with Christ and His church. With this in mind, LifeWay Worship, the music area of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, gathered a group of theologians on the campus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, on Oct. 1 to begin a theological review of songs to be included in the 2008 Baptist Hymnal. Mike Harland, director of LifeWay Worship, said the group will be looking at every song currently selected for the new Baptist Hymnal, making certain each one is doctrinally and theologically sound. “We began our look at the hymns and songs with the new additions to the Baptist Hymnal,” Harland said. “The new hymnal will have about 650 songs included, and about 300 of these songs will be new ones to our hymnal. Of these 300, about … [Read more...]

Experiencing tremendous loss is a common theme to many New Orleans residents, but for Doris Cousin the string of tragedy started long before the storm ravaged the city. Within a year she lost family members, then her home and hope. NEW ORLEANS – Experiencing tremendous loss is a common theme to many New Orleans residents, but for Doris Cousin the string of tragedy started long before the storm ravaged the city. Within a year she lost family members, then her home and hope. The bleak situation surrounding her intensified her downward emotional spiral into depression. A foot and a half of water stood in her home for two weeks after the flooding of Hurricane Katrina. Few items escaped the mold that filled her house. “Everything had to be taken out; it was heartbreaking,” Cousin said. And then, things started to change. Cousin applied to have her home rebuilt by Southern Baptist volunteers involved in the SBC’s Operation NOAH Rebuild. Last April, Don Snipes, a NOAH zone coordinator for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, arrived at Cousins’ FEMA trailer with plans to begin the process of helping her return to her home. As the zone two area manager for NOAH, Snipes is committed to seeing this section of … [Read more...]

From its birth in 1956, Emmanuel Baptist Church has maintained an outward focus that spawns pastors, missionaries and new churches, as well as a congregation actively participating in missions.  FARMINGTON, N.M. (BP) – From its birth in 1956, Emmanuel Baptist Church has maintained an outward focus that spawns pastors, missionaries and new churches, as well as a congregation actively participating in missions. “I’ve never before been in a church that had that kind of missions heart, and yet that’s why it’s been a strong, stable church in the Four Corners area all these years,” said Kirby Kennedy, referring to the region where the borders of New Mexico, Colorado, Utah and Arizona meet, 60 miles northwest of Farmington, N.M. “When they give, they feel they have a hand in all the mission work Southern Baptists do – in New Mexico, North America and around the world,” the pastor continued. “This church strives to be a church that gives because God has blessed them. God has set the example.” That zeal for doing God’s work is reflected in the New Mexico church’s commitment to the Cooperative Program, Southern Baptists’ method of supporting missions and ministries of state conventions and the Southern Baptist Convention. “My … [Read more...]

And it came to pass in those that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. And it came to pass in those that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)  3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.  4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)  5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.  6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.  7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.  10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  … [Read more...]

The recent gift of a 14-acre wooded parcel to Louisiana College from Christian Oasis, a spiritual healing ministry, opens the door for yet another expansion of LC’s ministry, college officials say. PINEVILLE – The recent gift of a 14-acre wooded parcel to Louisiana College from Christian Oasis, a spiritual healing ministry, opens the door for yet another expansion of LC’s ministry, college officials say. Trustees at their December meeting voted to accept the land and the structures on the land, with a plan to develop a master’s degree in Christian Counseling, said LC President Joe Aguillard. “It could be a national model for a master’s degree in Christian counseling,” Aguillard said. “Because it is so spacious and wooded, with a creek running through it, it has the ambiance of a retreat center. An individual, a client, could get alone with God there during the biblical counseling process.” The center, which also includes several cabins, could be a gift to the community and to the state, where people at a reduced cost could be counseled using biblical principles, and where students could be taught counseling principles in a Christian setting, Aguillard said. “Clinicians will understand the ‘behind the glass’ … [Read more...]

In an extension of its Follow the Star Christmas gift to the community, Louisiana College took about 1,200 books – plus gift cards and cash – to the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home last Friday. MONROE – In an extension of its Follow the Star Christmas gift to the community, Louisiana College took about 1,200 books – plus gift cards and cash – to the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home last Friday. “This is about a quarter of what we need for our new educational library,” said Perry Hancock, Children’s Home executive director. “We are very grateful to Louisiana College. This is going to impact the lives of hundreds of kids for many years to come.” The idea of providing books for the new Brenda Hall Abney Children’s Learning Center came up during an August session of the 35-person Follow the Star planning committee, said Terry Martin, LC’s director of library services. “Barbara Bush, her interest in literacy, and the Childrens Home’s new learning center all kind of came together,” Martin said. “Follow the Star is all about giving back to the community. This was a concrete way for everyone at LC to participate.” The social work and education clubs worked together to accept gifts of books and gift cards at football … [Read more...]

Small, medium and large Christmas productions last weekend in Southern Baptist churches across Louisiana helped remind people of the real reason for the great joy of this season. LEESVILLE, RUSTON, SHREVEPORT – Small, medium and large Christmas productions last weekend in Southern Baptist churches across Louisiana helped remind people of the real reason for the great joy of this season. The Baptist Message observed three productions – East Leesville, Temple Ruston and Broadmoor Shreveport. Each reflected the churches’ commitment to show their communities God’s love for all people. “There is always an evangelistic emphasis behind these things,” said Rick Byargeon, pastor of Temple Baptist in Ruston. “It’s just a soft sell.” East Leesville Anderson Farms just east of Leesville for the first time this year developed a Christmas theme park drive-through that included Christmas carols sung by East Leesville Baptist Church broadcast on a low-power radio station, plus eight lighted seasonal displays, such as Mickey and Minnie, and Whoville and the “Grinch who stole Christmas.” She will be adding two new scenes for this weekend, said Michelle Anderson, who organized the event. “Jungle Book” and “Nemo” will join other … [Read more...]