By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer LAFAYETTE/WOODWORTH (LBM) – More than 700 children and adult leaders met separately at two locations for the recently completed M-JAM conference, but both groups experienced a transforming day of learning how to live “Life On The Edge” for Christ. The day-long event featured the Real Encounter Outreach team from Branson, Missouri, and Louisiana and international missionaries, with all the speakers centering their messages around the conference theme, based on Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Participants also enjoyed music by worship leaders from central Louisiana and breakout sessions about the plan of salvation, compassion ministry, BMX stunt tricks, church planting, and IMB missions. Attendance was 178 at First Baptist Church in Lafayette March 10 and 519 at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center May 5, with the dual locales allowing participating first-through-sixth graders and their leaders to attend M-JAM closest to where they live. “M-JAM at Tall Timbers went wonderfully well,” said Jess Archer, children/youth mission strategist for Louisiana Baptists. “We had an exciting day of meeting missionaries, hearing the Gospel message, … [Read more...]

By Holly Jo Linzay PINEVILLE (LBM) - It is all about the Word for the youth who took part in the State Bible Drill competition, April 28, at the First Baptist Church in Pineville. “I didn’t take reading the Bible very seriously until I started competing in Bible Drill. But being in the Bible Drill has helped me to hide the Word of God in my heart,” Hannah James said. She is a ninth-grade homeschool student from Fellowship Baptist Church who attended the State Tournament for Youth and High School Bible Drill & Speakers’ Tournament for the sixth time. “But learning the Scripture has made a huge impact in my life. Bible Drill is not just about memorizing Scripture or the competition. It’s about life. Learning Scripture has helped me to witness and to live for God,” James, the first-place winner in the 9th grade Drill-off, added. Participants in the Bible Drills and Speakers’ Tournaments have gone through two other levels of competition, church and district, before reaching the state events. Bible Drill is part of a discipleship program designed to assist youth in developing useful skills and knowledge of the Bible. They must know the books of the Bible; find common Scripture references; know different approaches to … [Read more...]

By Eddie Wren, LBC President RAYVILLE (LBM) – I was recently in Alexandria for a meeting and began to think about evangelistic outreach. At First Baptist Rayville we use various approaches to sharing the Gospel. But I began to take a hard look at my personal evangelism strategy and what more I could do to spread the Gospel and teach others to do the same. I felt the Lord impressing upon me a specific plan that seemed easy enough: plain old-fashioned door-to-door “soul winning.” My plan was to enlist one of the guys at my church who was my age and younger – perhaps who had never experienced door-to-door witnessing, or witnessing at all – to join me in this effort. I was thinking that if I could get someone to go with me and he witnessed someone trust in the Lord that not only would the person be saved but the guy with me would get fired up about sharing the Gospel. I prayed about the plan; the Lord confirmed it in my heart; and, I was moved to begin the next Wednesday night right after Bible study. I figured I would call one of the regular attenders to go with me, but the first person I called said he wouldn’t be there; and, the second man said he had something going on. In the end, I said to myself, “No … [Read more...]

By Holly Jo Linzay, Regional Reporter LAFAYETTE (LBM) – A group of Louisiana attorneys believe the time has come to band together in order to actively preserve, protect and promote Christian values as the fundamental basis for the laws in the country. “It is time to take a stand and be a voice,” said Kent Aguillard, a lawyer from Eunice. Aguillard, along with 60 other lawyers, have formed the Louisiana Association of Christian Lawyers, Inc., the first of its kind in the state, according to a statement provided to the Baptist Message. These lawyers are organizing to answer to a higher power and a greater authority than the political whims of a society brimming with moral decay, he said. The Louisiana Association of Christian Lawyers, Inc. was created, according to Aguillard, for the purpose of providing a forum and opportunity for group participation by individual attorneys who are dedicated and biblically inspired to uphold and promote those laws which are based on Christian values and principals, and which confirm the country’s “trust in God.” “There’s an erosion of the strong, moral code we had in this country. There used to be standards that just weren’t crossed. Now the lines are getting blurred,” Aguillard … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer COVINGTON – Typically, six-year-old Cayden Windom is a shy little boy who goes out of his way to avoid drawing attention to himself. But on an early March Sunday morning the youngster came out of his shell to proclaim his faith in Jesus through baptism. DEDICATED TO CHRIST As Windom stood before family and friends, the youngster made history as he became one of the first people to stir the baptistery waters in the new worship center at First Baptist Church in Covington. Brimming with excitement, Windom was elated to show nearly 2,300 people gathered March 18 the reason for his hope in Christ. “It was exciting because of a couple of reasons,” he said. “I got to do the same thing Jesus did first and I felt like the president standing in front of all those people.” Windom’s baptism is only the beginning of his family’s special connection with First Baptist Covington: Windom was the final person to walk down the aisle in the church’s former worship center; and, his mom and dad, Julie and Jeremy, were the first couple to be married after Hurricane Katrina in the old facility, where his sister, Kensly, also was baptized. Julie Windom said her son has illustrated a true example … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer WOODWORTH (LBM) – Despite baptisms dropping below 10,000 in the state for the first time in several decades, Keith Manuel told Executive Board members he is optimistic the trend can turn around because of the cooperation by Louisiana Baptist churches through the Harvest evangelism initiative. “There’s good news in the bad news,” said Manuel, Louisiana Baptists Evangelism and Church Growth director. “We have a great opportunity. We’ve been there before; we can do it again. We know what we need to do. We just need to get our eyes back on the fields that are white unto harvest. “We’ve got to make what’s important ‘important,’ and those souls are important,” he said. In his report to the Executive Board May 1 at Tall Timbers Conference Center in Woodworth, Manuel updated board members on the Harvest, the largest joint effort for evangelism ever undertaken in the state. The end goal of this initiative was to involve at least 700 churches to pray for every home and share Christ with every person in Louisiana. By early May, 876 churches had signed up to participate. Manuel said his office has partnered with 16 different Harvest events involving many associations and … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor REVISED 5:55 p.m. May 11. BOSSIER CITY (LBM) – Brad Jurkovich, the 44-year-old pastor of the First Baptist Church in Bossier City, Louisiana, has announced he will nominate Ken Hemphill for president of the Southern Baptist Convention during the denomination’s 2018 Annual Meeting, June 12-13, in Dallas, Texas. In a social media message shared with the Baptist Message, Jurkovich described both candidates as “godly men” but that “after much prayer” he said he was “convinced that Dr. Ken Hemphill is the man who is capable, ready, resourced, and has the capacity and wisdom to lead us at this critical time.” Jurkovich, who attended Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., was a classmate with J.D. Greear and calls him a longtime friend. He told the Baptist Message he had known Hemphill only by reputation until he personally interviewed him in March, but he said he had known of him since the 1990s, especially for his work in “growing churches.” He hosted livestreamed interviews of both candidates:  J.D. Greear, Feb. 27, and Hemphill, March 28. Jurkovich closed his endorsement of Hemphill by mentioning his wife Paula and their three children, describing them as “a … [Read more...]

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@baptistsmessage.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 Jonathan Weldon is the new student/education minister at Ellerbe Baptist Church, Shreveport. Austin Bedwell is the new youth pastor at Emmanuel Baptist Church, Shreveport. Doug Graham is the interim pastor at New Bethel Baptist Church, Bossier City. Terry Mims has resigned as pastor at Emmanuel Baptist Church, Monroe. Ellis Auttonberry, Velton Frost, and Dave Rodgers were given the title of Deacon Emeritus on April 29 at Ridge Avenue Baptist Church in West Monroe. The three were honored with a fellowship after the evening service. Lauren Brown is the new Children’s Minister at Brookwood Baptist Church, Shreveport. She was previously at Woodridge Baptist Church, Shreveport. Alex Davis resigned as youth pastor at Summer Grove Baptist Church, Shreveport. Dwayne McDow resigned as executive … [Read more...]

Pastors of smaller membership churches are eligible for help with expenses for attending the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting by applying through the Caskey Center for Church Excellence at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Surplus funds from last year's Pastors' Conference costs were placed in reserve by the conference's officers and designated for convention travel scholarships for smaller membership pastors, with NOBTS' Caskey Center designated to distribute the funds. Scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each will be awarded to qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. Funds must be used for flight, hotel, mileage, rental car, meals, books and resources or other convention-related expenses. If awarded, the $1,000 check will be mailed directly to the church with a letter designating the funds for the pastor's convention expenses. Pastors of congregations with less than 150 in average attendance and whose churches are unable or unwilling to fund convention expenses may apply. Applicants will be asked a series of questions to determine eligibility. Personal contact information as well as church contact information will be required. By applying, applicants agree to use the funds to … [Read more...]