by Gary D. Myers, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS -- God's plan for reaching the world involves raising up and sending out "ordinary people" in the power of the Holy Spirit, Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear said at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Sept. 13. "The measure of success for any church ought not be its seating capacity" but "its sending capacity," Greear said during a chapel sermon drawn from Acts 7. Greear, pastor of The Summit Church in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., and church leaders emphasize the sending out of "ordinary people" as an essential aspect of the call to follow Jesus. As a result, the church has sent out 1,016 people to 248 Summit-sponsored church plants and to other ministries. Greear said Summit reaches a high percentage of college students, Millennials and young professionals, leveraging their enthusiasm, skill and mobility for the Gospel. Summit challenges students to consider serving for two years in one of its church plants after graduation. "We tell them unashamedly, 'Give us two years and we will transform the world with you,'" Greear said. Greear challenged believers to adjust their understanding of the call to ministry. Rather than "something a few sacred … [Read more...]

By Marilyn Stewart, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary NEW ORLEANS -- New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary President Chuck Kelley urged students and faculty to keep Scripture at the center of their lives during the Sept. 6 convocation marking the official start to a new academic year. Drawing from the exhortation in Joshua 1:7-8 to meditate on Scripture, Kelley said, "It doesn't matter who you are or how long you've walked with Jesus, it doesn't matter how well you know the Word, if you don't 'keep it in your mouth,' if you don't keep it as the center of attention, you will not be faithful in doing what God wants you to do." Joshua, in following Moses as the leader of the Israelite nation, was instructed that success would come if he remained faithful in meditating on God's law, Kelley said. Meditation, Kelley noted, is not "emptying your mind and thinking of nothing." Unlike the practice of Eastern religions, meditation instead means to "keep a conversation with God's Word all the time," Kelley said. Many versions translate the passage as God's law should be "always on your lips" or "shall not depart from your mouth." Kelley explained that believers are made into Christ's likeness when Scripture remains a … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff BOSSIER CITY – David Bailey, a special agent with the U.S. Capitol Police, does not consider himself a hero, but he saved the life of Louisiana native and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise during a firefight at a practice last year for the annual Congressional Baseball Game in Washington, D.C. Bailey, who was injured in that June 14 incident, was at the First Baptist Church in Bossier City, Aug. 26 of this year and shared during the fourth annual “Honor Our Heroes Sunday” how his faith enabled him to overcome some resulting difficulties. He was joined in the program by former Air Force Staff Sgt. Spencer Stone, and they as well as local police, firemen, military and first responders were honored during the service and at a breakfast and lunch on the church grounds. Ernie Haase and Signature Sound, a Southern Gospel quartet, provided special music. “God gave me gifts, and I want to be able to use them,” Bailey told the 2,000 members and guests gathered inside the worship center at First Bossier. “Whichever way I need to use them, whichever way I have to use them, I will use them. I’m glad I’m in this position. I never would have thought this 10 years ago when I applied to join the … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, LC News PINEVILLE -- Louisiana College elevated one of its own as dean of the School of Human Behavior, Dr. Joshua Joy Dara, who is senior pastor of Zion Hill Baptist Church in Pineville. Having previously served as an adjunct professor, Dara became assistant professor for Criminal Justice in 2017. As dean, Dara will oversee Psychology, Social Work, Criminal justice, and the graduate program for Social Work. Dara’s expectations for the School of Behavior to be known for academic excellence and successful graduates: “Social work is community-oriented work. A lot of our students in criminal justice are going in to law enforcement, some will become lawyers or border patrol even psychology, we are sending people into society,” said Dara. “I want our school to produce students that will change the world for the glory of God.” Because he loves teamwork, Dara utilizes his life experiences to dedicate service that contributes to the success of Louisiana College. “I served as an adjunct professor for 2-3 years, then I became an assistant professor, and I have been in this role as a full-time employee for more than a year. So if you look at it together, it’s been about 4 years,” Dara said. "Dr. Dara's life … [Read more...]

LSU expands alcohol sales in Tiger Stadium LSU football fans 21-years and older will be able to buy beer in the “The Chute,” a ground level venue with the capacity for 1,250 customers at any one time. Before last year, alcohol sales were restricted to premium seating areas associated with the “Stadium Club” and suites. The “Skyline Club,” a section of 1,500 seats in the upper level of the south end, opened for beer and wine sales in 2017. LSU officials seem intent on following the example of the University of Texas, which began stadium-wide alcohol sales in 2015, and Ohio State, which began to sell beer and wine stadium-wide last year. Drag Queen movement expands in Louisiana Lafayette joins New Orleans in hosting a public library reading time for kids, targeting children 3-6 years old, led by a drag queen. The latest “Drag Queen Storytime” effort is being led by Delta Lambda Phi, a fraternity for gay, bisexual and transgender men, at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette. Lafayette Parish Mayor-President Joel Robideaux has ordered a review of the library’s “approval process for taxpayer-funded events.” But library officials shot back that the program is needed to show children “every person is unique and … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BOSSIER CITY – Luke Allen dreamed of starting a church in Seattle, Washington, shortly after his graduation from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, but God shifted his church planting focus to his hometown of Shreveport-Bossier City. After his May 2010 graduation, Allen and his wife, Ashley, found themselves meeting inside a rented warehouse in Bossier City with 40 other members of their core group to dream about how God would use them to reach the ethnic communities within their metro area with the Gospel through their predominantly Anglo congregation, the Covenant Church. Over the next eight months, the Lord stirred a passion within them to reach people who had never or occasionally attended worship services as well as connect with those who grew up in church, but as they reached adulthood saw it irrelevant to their lives. “Shreveport-Bossier is a little deceptive in that there are a lot of churches, but a lot of unreached people,” Allen said. “The area is very religious, but also is one of the worst places to live in terms of abortion, homicide and poverty. Though maybe biblically minded, a majority of people don’t follow Christ’s teachings. … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer VIVIAN – Laura Hale lay nearly comatose in a Shreveport hospital March 8, but managed to muster up a tune that planted Gospel seeds into the heart of her husband, Tim. Although he could not understand most of what she sang in the days before her untimely death, Tim managed to decipher one word that gave him hope – Jesus. Four months later, his wife’s deathbed testimony led to his decisions to repent for salvation, commit his life to Christ and obey by being baptized. “I was raising our twins after she passed away and at that point I thought I needed some spiritual guidance for my family,” he said. “I decided then I wished to be baptized in the muddy waters of the river like Jesus -- that was going to be my path as I started my spiritual journey.” RIVER OF LIFE Tim was baptized with three others during a special riverside service hosted by Mt. Gilead Baptist Church in Vivian, July 29. One by one, each of the new believers stepped into the warm waters of the Red River near Hosston to publicly state his or her individual faith in Christ. “Just a few hours before the baptisms, we had three inches of rain fall, but by the time of the service God gave us perfect weather that … [Read more...]

By David E. Hankins, Executive Director of Louisiana Baptist Convention I made the decision. I am going to attend the fifty year reunion of my high school graduating class in a few weeks. As I read posts about this event on social media, I think everyone in the class must be having the same questions I do: (1) where did all the time go, and (2) who are all these senior citizens? I am passing/approaching the half-century mark in other areas as well. I preached my first sermon just over fifty years ago. The fiftieth anniversary of my wedding is a few months away as is that of my ordination to the ministry. There is something sobering about measuring life events in segments of fifty years. As I look back on the past half century, I remember the aspirations I had at the beginning. It was my desire that my life and ministry would be faithful, fulfilling, and fruitful. Have I hit the mark? Others (and ultimately God) will be the final arbiters; but I hope that there is evidence of my having lived consistently with these aims. FAITHFULNESS I remember sitting in a restaurant as a high-schooler while my dad had a cup of coffee with a colleague. At one point, the man said, “David, what are you going to be?” My dad answered … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BATON ROUGE – Sherwood Baptist Church was at a crossroads only a year after renovating facilities that had been damaged heavily by the historic flood of August 2016. The multi-ethnic congregation was well-positioned with regard to location, space and amenities to minister to the surrounding neighborhood, but membership had dropped. After months of seeking the Holy Spirit’s direction, Pastor Bruce Worrell was introduced in September to Josh Causey, pastor of Living Hope Fellowship, a predominately Anglo congregation, in Baton Rouge. Following multiple meetings to facilitate a merger, the two churches became one congregation February 25, creating a strong and dynamic body focused on reaching a community ripe for harvest. “Both congregations voted 100 percent to come together and that’s what I call a miracle,” Worrell said. “Before we came together, the group I was left with was a group that, first of all, loved the Lord and they loved the people of this community regardless of an individual’s background or economic status. They wanted to see this lighthouse continue to shine. “They were willing to step out of their comfort zone and move forward with some new ideas and some new … [Read more...]

By Perry Hancock, President & CEO of Louisiana Baptist Children's Home If you drive around any town or city in Louisiana you will find children in need. Our state has one of the highest poverty rates for children in America. According to the latest census data, over 300,000 children in Louisiana (29 percent) live below the poverty level. Louisiana is ranked 49th in the nation for overall child well-being and 50th for child economic well-being. In Monroe, the numbers are even more alarming. The poverty rate for children is almost 57 percent, the highest of the seven largest cities in the state including New Orleans. Monroe is not only the most poverty-stricken city in Louisiana but it is the 4th poorest city in the country. The demographics show that children make up the largest segment of those living in poverty. These children have low academic outcomes. They suffer from high rates of social anxiety. They have more health issues than other children. They are more likely to have feelings of depression and despair. Even more disturbing is the fact that these children often have a negative view of God. “If God loves me so much, why doesn’t He do something to help me?” These precious children have great … [Read more...]