By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – The Rapides Parish Coliseum became a house of prayer and repentance during the Hope4U GO TELL Crusade Oct. 14-17. By the end of the multi-event Harvest effort, 420 new believers had declared Christ as Lord and 401 had made other decisions for a total of 821 transformed lives. The highest attended session was the youth emphasis night Oct. 17, which drew 1,983 people. Hope4U had the support from at least 50 churches in the CENLA Baptist Association as well as congregations from other denominations. The crusade was one of many events held or scheduled this year as part of the statewide Harvest campaign to “pray for every home and share with every person” in Louisiana. “One of the things mentioned over and over was the amazing presence of God’s Spirit and unity among our local churches as we gathered together for this endeavor,” said crusade co-chair Andrew Orr, who also is minister of education and outreach at Philadelphia Baptist Church in Deville. “I feel like it will be a continuous effort moving forward of community and working together across racial and denominational lines because there was a sweet spirit. It’s been refreshing to watch so many come together … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer MOWATA – Veteran church planting strategist Greg Penna has not lived in Louisiana for 22 years, but his wish was to one day return for burial near a church in the state that felt like home. Penna, who died September 1 from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident in Oklahoma, desired to be buried in the Mowata Baptist Church cemetery, alongside many members that he and his wife, Cindy, referred to as their second family. “We would call that our home church,” said Cindy Penna. “The people made it special. It was at Mowata he learned what family was all about. His dad was absent, but there he got to see family the way God intended it to be. They helped teach him what it meant to be a pastor.” Penna accepted Christ as his Savior and was baptized at First Baptist Church in Hammond, Indiana, when he was eight years old. Shortly afterward, Penna moved with his family to Lake Charles. When he turned 17, Penna began his service in vocational ministry as the pastor of First Baptist Church in Bunkie when he was a student at Louisiana College. Penna subsequently served churches in Florida, Louisiana and Oklahoma, and attended New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Cindy … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – Louisiana College honored legendary biology professor Charles J. Cavanaugh with the unveiling of a historical marker in front of the Cavanaugh Hall of Science during its annual Founders Day celebration October 4. “Prof Cavanaugh was a transformational leader who sought the best for his students,” said LC President Rick Brewer. “Though he was not aware of our Vision to Prepare Graduates and Transform Lives, his legacy assuredly lives as a precursor to such vision.” Cavanaugh, who earned his degree from Louisiana College in 1932, began his career in higher education at New York University and Hofstra College in Long Island, New York. While he enjoyed life in New York, Cavanaugh longed to return to Louisiana. Finally, in 1945, Cavanaugh received his long-awaited invitation to teach at Louisiana College as chairman of the biology department. Throughout the next 32 years, Cavanaugh taught thousands of future physicians and other medical personnel. During his tenure at Louisiana College, Cavanaugh developed and directed a pre-med program from which more than 90 percent of students who applied to medical, dental and veterinary schools were accepted. Away from campus, … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer DENHAM SPRINGS – Eastern Louisiana Baptist Association has named one of its own to serve as the next director of missions. Richard Blue, the pastor of Walker Baptist Church for the last 20 years, began serving in his new role October 1. While this is his first time to serve as a director of missions, Blue believes his experience at churches and in associational life has prepared him for this next chapter in ministry. “I never would have seen myself in this position 20 years ago,” Blue said. “I am humbled and see this as a tremendous amount of responsibility. The only way to get things done is through Christ who strengthens me. With the Lord’s help and the cooperation of the people, we will be able to get things done to reach people in a changing climate of churches and culture for the next 25 years.” PASSION FOR MINISTRY Blue repented for salvation at age 12 after understanding his need for Christ at a Vacation Bible School held by Levy Street Baptist Mission in Shreveport. Four years later, Blue accepted the call to vocational ministry after several weeks of leading a home-based small group Bible study sponsored by Levy Street Baptist Mission. During the years that … [Read more...]

By Message Staff ALEXANDRIA - The Rapides Parish Coliseum became a house of prayer Monday night, Oct. 15. Dozens of people lined the altar after a call to pray for restoration and the lost by evangelist Ken Freeman on the second night of the Hope4U GO TELL Crusade. “We’re running out of time,” Freeman said moments earlier about the need to share Christ. “We’ve gotta get busy.” https://youtu.be/p0mmsi5dcPw Freeman shared his testimony of how he turned from an out of control life to a purpose-driven one anchored in Christ. After accepting a friend’s invitation to attend a church service in 1968, Freeman found Jesus. For more than 30 years, he has shared the Gospel at more than 3,000 churches and seen more than 200,000 individuals make a decision for Christ. He told the crowd Jesus can transform their lives too, if they repent of their sins and turn to Him. “I’m proof,” he said. “God can take a mess and make it His message.” At the invitation, 38 of the 783 in attendance came forward to declare Christ the Lord of their lives and eight made other decisions. The Hope4U GO TELL Crusade continues through Oct. 17 6:30 p.m. at the Rapides Parish Coliseum in Alexandria. During today’s session, Scott Camp, … [Read more...]

By Gary D. Myers, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS -- New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary trustee chairman Frank Cox announced the names for the 11-member presidential search committee today (Oct. 11) and called on Southern Baptists to pray through the search process. "We ask that Southern Baptists pray for us as we seek God's man to lead New Orleans Seminary into the next century of ministry here in New Orleans and surrounding regions," Cox said. The NOBTS bylaws call for the trustee chairman to appoint a committee with 11 voting members -- including the board chairman, the immediate past chairman, one faculty member, one student and seven other board members. The president search committee is as follows: -- Bryant Barnes, trustee; pastor, First Baptist Church, Columbia, Miss.; -- Jack Bell, trustee; pastor, First Baptist Church, Hornbeck, La.; -- Frank Cox, trustee chairman; pastor, North Metro Baptist Church, Lawrenceville, Ga.; -- John Foster, trustee; retired educator, New Orleans; -- David Leavell, trustee; pastor, First Baptist Church, Millington, Tenn.; -- Jackie Myers, trustee; education specialist, Sicily Island, La.; -- Gary Shows, trustee; pastor, Temple Baptist Church, … [Read more...]

By Gary D. Myers, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS -- New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary trustees named Chuck Kelley as chancellor of the school through July 31, 2019, and approved the accelerated M.Div. program during their fall meeting Oct. 3. Kelley announced his plans to retire from the school on July 31, 2019, during the Oct. 2 Founders' Day chapel service. As a result, much of the board's work at the fall meeting centered on helping Kelley finish his presidential tenure and beginning the search for the next president. Naming Kelley chancellor was a required step in the initiation of the presidential search process. The bylaws state that the office of president must be vacant before the trustees can initiate the search. The role of chancellor clearly indicates the seminary will continue normal operations under Kelley's leadership while the trustees seek the next leader. Kelley expressed a strong desire to see a successor elected by the beginning of the 2019-2020 academic year. This move makes this goal a possibility. "The combination of a strong, healthy board, a planned transition, and a clear process is a great blessing for our seminary," Kelley said. "We were able to work through all the issues and … [Read more...]