The Baptist Collegiate Ministry at Northwestern State University provides students with an avenue for spiritual growth that complements their development during their college years, said Bill Collins, BCM director. NATCHITOCHES – The Baptist Collegiate Ministry at Northwestern State University provides students with an avenue for spiritual growth that complements their development during their college years, said Bill Collins, BCM director. For more than 80 years, the BCM at NSU has been serving NSU students. Collins has been director for more than 18  of those years. “What we try to do with BCM is provide services to college students that the university cannot legally provide,” Collins said. “We have three tasks: to reach, connect and strengthen. We’re trying to reach college students for Jesus Christ but also connect them to a local church, and then strengthen them in their walk with Jesus Christ. “We are the link to the college campus for [the 126 churches in the District Eight Baptist Convention]. Through us, any church can access the university. That’s where our operational support base comes from, our local churches.” One way the BCM tries to reach students for Christ is through a program called The Matrix, … [Read more...]

St. Tammany Parish officials have asked Tobey Pitman, executive director of the Brantley Baptist Center in New Orleans, to serve on the North Shore parish’s Emergency Operations Committee. SLIDELL – St. Tammany Parish officials have asked Tobey Pitman, executive director of the Brantley Baptist Center in New Orleans, to serve on the North Shore parish’s Emergency Operations Committee. In addition, Pitman is leading Slidell pastors in carrying out a community assessment, a product of an agreement made in January between the Louisiana Baptist Convention, the North American Mission Board, and North Shore Baptist Association. “I will serve as a volunteer liaison between the EOC and the entire faith-based community of St. Tammany,” Pitman explained. “Disaster planners added the faith-based liaison because they saw firsthand the resources that Southern Baptists and others brought into the region.” The position as liaison can only help the ongoing work of the community assessment, as Pitman makes connections among community leaders and churches. “A community assessment is a ministry tool to help discover and identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and resources for ministry in the community,” Pitman said. Cities … [Read more...]

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Louisiana’s medical support industry has a shortage of educated personnel, according to health industry officials, and Louisiana College plans to address that need. PINEVILLE – Louisiana’s medical support industry has a shortage of educated personnel, according to health industry officials, and Louisiana College plans to address that need. Healthcare is either the largest or second-largest economic driver of the state’s economy, according to an LC news release. Half of the 30 fastest-growing occupations in the entire labor market today are in fields of allied health. Especially in the rural areas of the state, healthcare professionals are “desperately needed,” according to the news release. The state legislature on June 22 authorized the distribution of grants for the purpose of equipping allied health professionals, and LC recently accepted a grant of $2 million from this pool of money, which comes from the State of Louisiana in partnership with the Louisiana Rural Healthcare Association. The grants are administered by the Louisiana Board of Regents.  Receiving the grant was the result of much hard work from a coalition of influential people, said Louisiana College President Joe Aguillard. He expressed thanks to … [Read more...]

Matt Hancock of Monroe earlier this month signed a two-year recording contract with the Eugene, Ore.-based Incubator Records /Incubator Creative Group. Matt Hancock of Monroe earlier this month signed a two-year recording contract with the Eugene, Ore.-based Incubator Records /Incubator Creative Group. A singer/songwriter/solo artist, Hancock also is associate director of activities and education at the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home, and a graduate in 2000 of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. With bandmates Michael Howell on second guitar and Brandon White on drums, Hancock handles primary guitar and piano in addition to vocals. He’s available for bookings anywhere in Louisiana, so he can also promote the Children’s Home, where his father Perry Hancock is executive director. “My style is very much praise and worship-oriented, but also has a slight rock flair to it,” Hancock says. He’s developing a Vision Team of friends and new friends to help MPH Music Ministries grow from the ground up and reach as many lives as possible. If interested in joining the MPH Vision Team, contact him atmatthewperryhancock@hotmail.com.“It’s just been really amazing to see how much God had done this year and how many promises He has come … [Read more...]

Several members from Washington Baptist Church participated in a disaster relief mission trip in early June to Eagle Pass, Texas, where there had been a tornado. WASHINGTON – Several members from Washington Baptist Church participated in a disaster relief mission trip in early June to Eagle Pass, Texas, where there had been a tornado. They took groceries and other donations to Hispanic families there. The church plans to take shoes and bicycles as gifts during  an August mission trip to Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Louis Charrier is pastor. SUNSET – Four members from Knoll Wood Ranch Cowboy Church participated in a recent Evangeline Baptist Association mission trip to Anchorage, Alaska, led by DOM Bert Langley. The mission team worked in partnership with the Baptist Collegiate Ministry group at the University of Anchorage. Chad Ramsey is pastor of Knoll Wood Ranch. TAYLOR – Kyndall Ardoin, a member at Taylor Baptist Church, recently repeated as champion of the Louisiana Women’s Amateur golf tournament. She has been invited to play in theWestfield Junior PGA Tournament in Ohio, one of the most important junior events in the PGA.  Jimmy Eppinette is pastor of Taylor Baptist. MONROE – First Baptist  reports additions and … [Read more...]

A high school student from Dubeck, Germany, would like to spend her sophomore year – starting this August – living in a city with a Baptist family. A high school student from Dubeck, Germany, would like to spend her sophomore year – starting this August – living in a city with a Baptist family. The youngest of three children in a home where the father is a customs officer and the mother a hairdresser, Sophie, 17, takes care of four rabbits daily, cooks dinner for her family on occasion, and keeps her room clean. She enjoys playing the drums and guitar, and has played drums at church. Her favorite sports are basketball and swimming. Her ability with English is ranked 9 out of 10; her English teacher writes that Sophie would be comfortable and at ease in an American classroom. Sophie’s mom plans to call her twice a week. Other high school students – male and female – also are interested in spending a school year with Louisiana families through ShareSouthwest, part of the highly-respected Educational Resource Development Trust. Host families are asked to provide a bed, meals, a warm family environment, and a willingness to share the American way of life. To learn more about hosting international students, contact … [Read more...]

Comings, Goings James Larry Taylor is new as pastor of Calvary Baptist Church of Gardner. James (wife Lorraine) Sellers is new as pastor at Rocky Springs Baptist in Lisbon, effective July 29. He’s from San Juan, Texas. Jake (wife Karen) Roudkovski resigned in early July from First Baptist, Ponchatoula, for additional study at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Needed Full-time youth minister needed at First Baptist Leesville. Send resumes to First Baptist Church, 1400 Nolan Trace, Leesville LA 71446 or email to leesvillebaptist@bellsouth.net. Full-time pastor needed at First Baptist Kenner. Please send resumes to Pastor Search Committee, First Baptist Church of Kenner, 1400 Williams Blvd., Kenner LA 70063, or call 504.466.5381. n Part-time or bivocational minister of music needed at White Avenue Baptist, Bastrop. Please send resume to Music Minister Search Committee, White Avenue Baptist Church, 810 White Av, Bastrop LA 71220; email jlpsmay@bellsouth.net or call 318.281.1995 for more information. Jeff May is pastor. Deaths Carl Conrad died June 18 in Baytown, Texas. He was 96. Conrad served churches in Pine Prairie, Clearwater, Morgan City and New Orleans, and was a missionary to French-speaking … [Read more...]

More than 200 volunteers from 12 states surrounded the piers and floor structure at 1800 Bartholomew Street in New Orleans’ Upper Ninth Ward June 11 to witness the wall raising of the 41st home to be built as part of the Baptist Crossroads Project. NEW ORLEANS (BP – More than 200 volunteers from 12 states surrounded the piers and floor structure at 1800 Bartholomew Street in New Orleans’ Upper Ninth Ward June 11 to witness the wall raising of the 41st home to be built as part of the Baptist Crossroads Project. Construction on the new home marks the beginning of a new chapter in the partnership between New Orleans’ Habitat for Humanity and the Baptist Crossroads Foundation. Initially, plans for the Baptist Crossroads Project included 40 homes in the Upper Ninth Ward. The initiative was the vision of David Crosby, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in New Orleans. In 2004, long before Hurricane Katrina, Crosby heard New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin say that home ownership is the most effective way of lifting a family out of poverty. Crosby prayed for guidance, and soon, he and his church began making plans to build 40 homes. The Baptist Crossroads Project was the result. In August 2006, just before the first anniversary of … [Read more...]

Drawing the last blue butterfly on a get well card, she looks around at her other inmates also making cards for WorldCrafts, a nonprofit and fair-trade ministry of Women’s Missionary Union, and remembers that dreadful day at the airport. BIRMINGHAM, Ala.  – Drawing the last blue butterfly on a get well card, she looks around at her other inmates also making cards for WorldCrafts, a nonprofit and fair-trade ministry of Women’s Missionary Union, and remembers that dreadful day at the airport. With the metal from the handcuffs digging into her skin, she begged the Ecuadorian police to believe her innocence, but they ignored her pleas. After pulverizing her luggage with an ice pick and finding a black rubber pouch, the police labeled her “guilty” and disregarded the mention of her boyfriend, the man who gave her the luggage. Fear enveloped her, hopelessness gripped her and anger permeated her. Several days prior to this incident, Tamara Johnston* was excited about this romantic vacation in Quito, Ecuador, with her boyfriend because they hadn’t seen each other in nine months. Although he lived in California for six years, he moved back to his birthplace in Columbia. Living in different countries made the relationship … [Read more...]