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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Learning to do the small things

By Waylon Bailey In almost every area of life, it’s the small things that count. Think about your marriage. What is it that really counts? Almost always, it’s the small things. A big ring or valuable piece of jewelry a husband gives to his wife probably doesn’t count for very much if he leaves out kindness, tenderness, and gentleness. I remember hearing a story years ago about a brother and sister. The brother had done something to hurt his sister and was made to apologize by his mother. He came humbly to say he was sorry, give her a hug, and say, “I love you.” I don’t think I will ever forget her response. She said, “I don’t care whether you love me or not, just treat me right.” It’s the small things that count. We can never really achieve the big things that we want if we leave out the small things. What are the small things? In our relationship with God, it is the small things that truly matter. Let me encourage some small things. First, spend time each day in prayer. Seek to pray several times during the day. You may only have a few minutes to do so. Establish your dependence on God in prayer. This may be a small thing, but it will pay great dividends. Second, go out of your way to do something … [Read more...]

Stay focused on God

By Stewart Holloway Where is your focus? We are prone to look at what is right around us, especially the struggles - the schedule, the bills, the diagnosis, the aggravating coworker, the disappointments. If it’s a hardship, we focus on it. But 2 Corinthians 4 challenges us to stop all that. Instead of looking around, we need to look UP! Our focus doesn’t need to be on the temporal things because temporal things are temporary. Instead, our focus needs to be on God and His eternal things. Lift up your eyes and look to God today. He is the source of joy, blessing, love, hope, peace, and whatever good you need. Stewart Holloway is pastor of the First Baptist Church in Pineville. This editorial first appeared on his Facebook page. … [Read more...]

What Jeremiah taught me about serving God

By Waylon Bailey God’s call of Jeremiah to be a prophet (Jeremiah 1:4-10) to the nations is a treasure chest for understanding service to God. Though Jeremiah had no special abilities or background, God called him to go to the nations with the message of God. His call teaches us about serving God. What are those special lessons about serving the Lord? First, whatever God commands, He provides. Like almost every other messenger of God, Jeremiah was an ordinary person who was called not for his ability but his availability. Jeremiah knew that he didn’t have all he needed, but he soon learned that God provides what His servants need. God does not call us to do something in our own power; He calls us to do what He can do through us. That truth makes all the difference. Second, wherever God sends you, He will be there as well. God told Jeremiah that he should not be intimidated or afraid because He would be right there with him: ” ‘For I am with you to deliver you,’ declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 1: 8). Third, It’s not about me. It’s easy to get caught up in ourselves. We want “our” ministry or “my” work. None of it is ours, and it’s not about me. It is all about God. Jeremiah teaches me to be more concerned with … [Read more...]

Edwards makes pitch for re-election

By Message Staff PINEVILLE – Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards highlighted bi-partisanship and teacher pay raises during a meeting of the North Rapides Business Alliance at Louisiana College Aug. 26. “We can still get it done in Baton Rouge,” Edwards said, referencing bi-partisan passage of prison reform measures as an example. “We show up first and foremast as Louisianans, and we’re able to talk to one another, we’re able to work together, we’re able to move the ball forward. “Today in Louisiana we are doing better,” he continued. “We still have our challenges. But relatively speaking we can meet our challenges, the ones that remain, from a position of strength not the position of weakness which is where we were before.” Edwards touted a $1,000 annual pay raise for teachers and $500 raise for support personnel that won approval over a Republican proposal of $1,200 and $600, respectively. Edwards plan also kicked in $40 million to school districts. Republicans and Democrats passed the increases during the last legislative session after Louisiana’s economy saw a lift from the national economic improvement during the last two years. “All the school districts across Louisiana need the ability to attract and retain top … [Read more...]

The dog days of summer

By Steve Horn "I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 3:14 “The Dog Days of Summer” is an expression that one hears often in baseball. The phrase comes from the very challenging days of playing baseball in the heat of the summer. Not only are players contending with the heat, but they are also contending with the length of the baseball season. The excitement of the beginning of the season has certainly waned, and the end of the season with championships on the line is too far away to make a difference. Added to this is the sad reality that some teams recognize that their championship hopes have all but been shattered. Championships are won or lost in these “dog days of summer.” I suspect that the Christian experiences our own version of the “dog days of summer.” The main difference is that the Christian’s “dog days” can come in almost any season of life. The newness of conversion unfortunately loses excitement, and the daily battle with sin and circumstances makes our ultimate reward seem so distant. How does the Christian survive the dog days? Apostle Paul seems to give us a good word: “Press on.”  We must press on in our walk with Christ. We … [Read more...]

Dakota Baptists seeking new executive director

By Message Staff RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Dakota Baptist Convention has initiated a search to replace Garvon Golden, who has announced his plans to retire as executive director/treasurer. The administrative team of the executive board will nominate, and the executive board will hire, a successor to Golden, whose final day as the leader of the state convention will be Dec. 31. He plans to remain in Rapid City, where the state convention’s headquarters is located, to serve as pastor of Christ Church. “I have the privilege to serve the churches of the Dakotas as their executive director/treasurer for the last seven years and it has been an honor,” Golden told the Baptist Message. “I have always had the desire to return to the pastorate and finish out my calling and life work in the local church. I am grateful that God has opened the door for me to do so. I will always be thankful for the opportunity to serve the Dakotas in this role.” Golden has served DBC as executive director/treasurer since 2011, first as interim before being hired. He previously pastored Bounds Baptist Church in Powderly, Texas; the First Baptist Church in Dickinson, North Dakota; the First Baptist Church in Forsyth, Montana; and the First Baptist … [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 Arron (wife Ashley) McGuffee is the new senior pastor at Trinity Baptist Church, Natchitoches. Paul DeRousse is retiring from Emmanuel Baptist Church, Shreveport. He has served the church as Minister of Music and Senior Adults then Associate Pastor and Senior Adults for the last 20 years. HOMECOMING Second Baptist Church, Jackson: 60th Homecoming, September 15, 10 a.m. Pastor: Clark Fooshee. New Zion Baptist Church, Kentwood: 150th Homecoming Celebration, September 15, 10:30 a.m. A covered dish meal will follow the worship service. Speaker: Gibbie McMillan. Special Music: Jimmy Falker. Pastor: Larry Blades. REVIVAL Palestine Baptist Church, Columbia: Revival, September 1-4. Evangelist: Scotty McDowell, chalk artist. Pastor: Hudey Beaubouef. First Baptist Church, Dubach: Revival, … [Read more...]

HomePlace offers women hope of heavenly abode

MONROE – Sarah Pierce spent nearly 15 years seeking freedom from alcoholism, but just a few months into 2017 she found deliverance in Christ when she entered HomePlace, the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and Family Ministries program for homeless children and their mothers. Through HomePlace, Pierce received spiritual support from fellow mothers in the program and LBCHFM staff members, who encouraged her to share her testimony of salvation publicly, through baptism. On August 18 she took that step of obedience with another HomePlace resident as they were baptized during a worship service at the North Monroe Baptist Church in Monroe. The women are two of five HomePlace residents (out of 13 women currently in the program) baptized this year, and among numerous others in the program who have been plunged beneath baptistery waters since HomePlace began in 2010. Susan Clark, LBCHFM director of family care ministries, said she has been blessed to witness the life change in Pierce and many other women, who participate in daily personal devotional times, weekly small group Bible studies and monthly large group gatherings, featuring a speaker and testimonies, at the ministry’s Monroe campus. “We give them Jesus, every … [Read more...]

Students see ‘M-azing’ growth at M-fuge

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – Many students entered the recent Ministry Fuge camp at Louisiana College looking for an opportunity to serve others and left having had an encounter with Christ. Six campers repented for salvation, eight repented to restore fellowship with the Lord, three indicated a Holy Spirit call to ministry and eight made some other spiritual decision, according to Carol Pipes, media representative for LifeWay Christian Resources. Throughout the week of July 15-19, the 115 middle and high school students from churches in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas enjoyed a time of worship and Bible study at the Pineville campus each morning and then dispersed into smaller teams to minister throughout the community. Students held Backyard Bible clubs in Pineville at the Wardville campus of the Gathering Place, and in Alexandria packed boxes at the Food Bank of Central Louisiana and spruced up the grounds and facilities at the Hope House for battered women. “We are pleased to continue hosting Lifeway’s M-Fuge summer camps on our campus,” Louisiana College President Rick Brewer told the Baptist Message. “Plans include an expansion of M-Fuge camp offerings at the College in future years … [Read more...]