As Easter approaches, the Baptist Message team invites you to pause daily from the hustle and bustle of life to focus on the days leading up to Easter or Resurrection Sunday. Join us in this challenge to read through the Gospels to get a greater understanding of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection. Day 9: Luke 15-16 (NKJV) ========================= (Luke 15) The Parable of the Lost Sheep 15 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. 2 And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3 So He spoke this parable to them, saying: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance. The Parable of the Lost Coin 8 “Or what woman, having ten silver [c]coins, … [Read more...]

Two Louisiana Baptist mud out teams are responding to a call for help in the wake of the recent flooding in Nebraska. The team of two from Lake Charles left Monday, March 25, and a team of 12 from Eastern Louisiana Baptist Association left Wednesday, March 27, for Fremont, Nebraska. They are expected to remain there a week. Heavy rain and melting snow caused rivers to reach historic levels in early March across Nebraska, including Fremont. Road closures from the flooding made it impossible to enter and leave Fremont, which is about 35 miles northwest of Omaha, was blocked for more than a week, and nearly 1,000 homes and 100 businesses in the community were damaged, according to KLKN-TV news station in Lincoln, Nebraska. Louisiana Baptist state disaster relief director Gibbie McMillan said nearly 250,000 people were displaced from their homes in areas damaged by flooding in areas of the Midwest. He said 125,000 of those cannot return to their homes. “Pray for the will of the people to survive a disaster of this magnitude,” McMillan said. “And we pray they will know t and knowing that through it all God will sustain his people.” … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – Do not abandon the church but become part of the solution for positive change, Richard Blackaby, president of Blackaby Ministries International, urged students at a special Louisiana College chapel service March 26. “This is a critical day for the church,” Blackaby said. “But the answer lies in rooms just like this with young people filled with talent, filled with ability, filled with leadership skills, who might say whatever else God has me to do with my career, some of the most important things that I may do with my life is stepping alongside a church and helping it to become everything God intends for it. I pray that will be so.” Blackaby, the son of Experiencing God author Henry Blackaby, said he has heard too many people proclaim plateauing churches must die. But, as he cited in Colossians 1:15-18, Christ is the head of the church and God’s plan to reach humanity is through the church. “Satan hates the church because it’s God’s answer for people’s sin,” he said. “It’s God’s solution to help people get to heaven. And Satan hates the church and he will do everything in his power to destroy the church.” Blackaby said Satan tries to accomplish this by filling the … [Read more...]

As Easter approaches, the Baptist Message team invites you to pause daily from the hustle and bustle of life to focus on the days leading up to Easter or Resurrection Sunday. Join us in this challenge to read through the Gospels to get a greater understanding of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection. Day 8: Luke 13-14 (NKJV) ========================= (Luke 13) Repent or Perish 1 There were present at that season some who told Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree 6 He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA (LBM) -- After announc­ing in January that “some” stores would be closing due to “an accelerated rate of ero­sion” of sales “in the brick and mortar chan­nel,” LifeWay announced March 20 that it would shutter all of its bookstores. The January announcement was ac­companied by a Baptist Press analysis of LifeWay’s 2010-2017 audits showing “total operating expenses exceeded sales” eight years in a row, growing in deficit each year from $2.3 million to $35.5 million. Moreover, the revised March plan to shutter “all” and not “some” of its stores comes amid a leadership change for LifeWay. Thom Rainer announced in August 2018 his intentions to “step down” as president and CEO “when the new CEO is named, or in one year, whichever comes first.” He had served as LifeWay CEO since February 2006 when he left the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary where he was the dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism for 12 years. On March 4 LifeWay announced that Rainer had expressed “a desire to move forward with his retirement effective Feb. 28” and the trustees named Executive Vice President Brad Waggoner as “acting president and CEO of LifeWay until a new president is named” … [Read more...]

As Easter approaches, the Baptist Message team invites you to pause daily from the hustle and bustle of life to focus on the days leading up to Easter or Resurrection Sunday. Join us in this challenge to read through the Gospels to get a greater understanding of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection. Day 7: Luke 11-12 (NKJV) ================================== (Luke 11) Jesus’ Teaching on Prayer 1 One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” 2 He said to them, “When you pray, say: “‘Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. 3 Give us each day our daily bread. 4 Forgive us our sins,     for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.’” 5 Then Jesus said to them, “Suppose you have a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; 6 a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have no food to offer him.’ 7 And suppose the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children and I are in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, even though he will not get up … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer MORGAN CITY – Charles Gilder practiced what he preached during his 39-year tenure at Bayou Vista Baptist Church, especially the importance of steadfast commitment. “One benefit of long-term ministry is you get to know people and they build a trust with you,” Gilder said. “That opens doors that aren’t open initially. “It was not that other churches didn’t approach me, but I felt that when you don’t stay very long, yo can’t really get to know the people that well,” he continued. “They accepted us. The area did not grow on us at first. It was the people that grew on us. It was developing relationships with people and families. We became a part of a family. I’m grateful that continued throughout the years.” Gilder was honored for his dedication and hard work in ministry as a Louisiana Baptist Retiree of the Year award winner at a reception for bi-vocational and retired pastors during the 2018 Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting at Temple Baptist Church, Ruston. A native of Greenville, Mississippi, Gilder accepted Christ as his Savior during a city-wide revival at age 15. Shortly after, Gilder accepted the call to preach the Gospel. He began his education to prepare for … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer MANSURA – Powerlifter Steve Carrier per­formed feats of strength throughout the two-day Momentum Family Crusade in Avoyelles Parish, March 15-16. But it was the power of the Holy Spirit that was on display in the 100 acts of repentance for salvation and restoration that took place among the 500 people who attended one or both services at the Cochon De Lait Center in Mansura. The Louisiana Baptist Association-sponsored event was described by organizers as one of the largest evangelistic outreaches for Louisiana Bap­tists in Avoyelles Parish, with nearly half of the 28 churches in the association participating. A STRONG PRESENCE Carrier, who has traveled around the world with MegaForce Ministries to present the Gospel using stunts that feature his unique physical strength to attract crowds, let the Holy Spirit do the heavy lifting in reaching out to those who attended. “We’re all born with a God-shaped void,” Carrier told the crowd. “You can try to fill it, but you’ll never have complete confidence and peace. What one thing would hold you back tonight from a relationship with God? So many people put God off until tomorrow. But the Bible says today is the acceptable … [Read more...]