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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Gaines, Page gather with Sutherland Springs community to pray, heal

FLORESVILLE, Texas (BP) -- "We take care of our own," stated Frank S. Page, formerly a Texas pastor, as he and Southern Baptist Convention President Steve Gaines and his wife Donna spent three days helping to serve families distraught over the Nov. 5 massacre of half of the congregation of First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs. The broader Southern Baptist family -- from the Gaineses to Tony Wolfe, pastor/church relations director for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention -- demonstrated servanthood by visiting grieving families, and injured congregants and praying for area folks suffering from the tragedy. In the hours following the Sunday morning massacre by a deranged gunman from New Braunfels who eventually took his own life, local ministers accepted the SBTS offer to host a community-wide prayer meeting at nearby Floresville Independent School District's Eschenburg Field, setting local pastors free to minister to the flock of the targeted church and their extended family of God. A reported shooting incident at a nursing home a half-mile away, chilly temperatures and the threat of rain did not deter an estimated 2,500 or more area residents and more than 100 media representatives from attending the prayer … [Read more...]

Baptism service a family reunion

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer COUSHATTA (LBM) – The baptistery at Liberty Baptist Church in Coushatta was the perfect setting for a recent reunion of people close to James Hester, pastor of Social Springs Baptist Church in Ringgold. Hester cancelled Sunday evening services for his Ringgold congregation, Sept. 28, to be at the Coushatta church in order to baptize his mother, LaWanda, with the blessing of Liberty Baptist Pastor Harry Bamburg. Then Hester was blessed to witness the baptism of his brother Jerry, nephew Zach and his nephew’s wife Jessica, all officiated by Bamburg. A MOTHER’S JOY “My heart was full and I was in awe of the goodness and faithfulness of our awesome God, and so thankful for His amazing grace,” Hester said. “She has lived longer than either of her parents and I thank God daily for Christian parents who raised me in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.” Hester said he praised God for the honor of baptizing his mother, and that his mom told him hers was “an even greater honor – being baptized by the youngest of her five boys.” “God is good,” he told the Baptist Message. A SON’S LOVE The catalyst for the multiple baptisms was a revival Sept. 3-10 at Social Springs … [Read more...]

Mandeville disaster relief team an answer to Texas lady’s prayers

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BEAUMONT, Texas (LBM) - When the team from First Baptist Church in Mandeville arrived in late September at a site hit hard by Hurricane Harvey, they simply were obeying God’s command to serve victims of the devastating storm. But for Gaylynn Johnson, a resident of Beaumont, Texas, the work crew was God’s answer to her prayers. “I’m so glad to see you!” she recalled was her greeting to the team. The storm’s torrential rain had caused flooding more than three feet deep inside her home (and it was two weeks before the water receded), destroying most of her possessions. “We had been hoping for someone to come and help us,” Johnson told the Baptist Message. “Someone just called to tell me that help was on the way, and I got over there [work site] right away.” MEN AT WORK Moments after that greeting, Johnson said, the team got right to work, putting on respirator masks while conducting a tour of the damage. Although she and her husband had removed all the damaged furniture, clothing and other items, a putrid stench persisted, she remembered. Larry, an electrician, was unable to assist the Mandeville team during work hours, Gaylynn said, but he contributed to the … [Read more...]

Editorial: Does the ERLC represent the SBC?

By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA – When an unnamed staffer “boasted” to the online media outlet Think Progress in October 2014 that Russell Moore had “completely rebranded” the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, few could have imagined what this meant. However, Moore’s all-in campaign against presidential candidate Donald Trump, highlighted by his most recent attacks on Liberty University for hosting Trump at a student convocation, reveals something quite unexpected about Moore when he was elected to lead the ERLC in 2013—a penchant for disdain for Christians who think differently than him. Moore rightly points out Trump’s moral flaws—and character should count—and he has a right and responsibility to comment on Trump’s policies and to share his view of what these might mean in terms of Christian values. But Moore’s dislike for Trump goes beyond the pale, translating into disrespect and even contempt for any Christian who might weigh these considerations differently than Moore when comparing the range of personal beliefs and behaviors as well as public records of ability and achievement within such a large field of candidates for the White House. DISRESPECT FOR OTHERS In an editorial for the New … [Read more...]

Pollock pastor braves chilly conditions in dunking booth for children’s ministry

By Message Staff POLLOCK – Brian Gunter is not one to shy away from a challenge. So, when it came time to help raise money for First Baptist Church in Pollock’s children’s ministry, he braved Saturday morning’s (Oct. 28) chilly temperatures in a dunking booth for the church’s annual Fall Festival. There were quite a number of church members and others from the community who turned out to insure Gunter got dunked despite the chilly temperatures. It was all in good fun and for a good cause as $140 was raised at the dunking booth alone while another $70 was raised in other areas of the festival. “A pastor never knows how much his church loves him until he climbs into a dunking booth on a cool fall day,” Gunter told the Baptist Message. “A few deacons tried to drown me, but I came out unscathed!  Sometimes you have to get creative to raise money for the children’s ministry.” But Gunter’s love of “freezin’ for a reason” will not stop at the First Baptist Pollock fall festival. In the very near future, Gunter said he would be willing to step inside a dunking booth on the property of the Cenla Pregnancy Center in Alexandria to raise money for the organization. The first pro-life pregnancy center in central Louisiana … [Read more...]

God, as healer

By Steve Horn LAFAYETTE (LBM) - At First Baptist Church, Lafayette, we are focused this fall on prayer. We have examined a number of subjects regarding prayer, and recently we examined the subject of praying for healing. Isn’t it interesting that God revealed Himself in specific ways in the days of greatest difficulty? If we allow God to work in our lives, we grow spiritually during difficult circumstances. This is especially true when we consider God as Jehovah Rophe—the Lord, our Healer. Scripture reveals God as Jehovah Rophe in Exodus 15:22-27. Israel has just been eyewitnesses to incredible miracles. They have seen the waters of the Sea open up, and all of Israel safely cross. But now, they are without water. It’s been three days and maybe they are not exactly sure what they have gotten themselves into by leaving Egypt. As background, we see some common reactions to the bitter places of our lives. Like so many of us, Israel forgot the past blessings of God, fussed against God, and made false accusations against God. As you pray for healing of all kinds today, think about these truths. Sooner or later, we will all come to a place called Marah (Bitterness). For every Marah in our lives, there is Yahweh … [Read more...]

Johnson co-sponsors bill to keep taxpayer dollars out of abortion facilities

By Ainsley Holyfield, Office of U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-Benton) has signed on as an original co-sponsor to H.R. 4131, the No Abortion Bonds Act, which amends the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to impose federal taxes on bonds used to provide facilities owned by abortion providers. If passed, the bill will close loopholes in the tax code that allow abortion providers to finance facilities with municipal, county and state bonds while being exempt from federal taxes. “The federal government should not be subsidizing abortions. Period,” said Johnson, a member of First Baptist Church in Bossier City. “This legislation will help keep taxpayer dollars out of abortion facilities and protect the rights of all Americans who have deeply held religious and moral objections to funding this abhorrent industry. I am proud to champion this legislation, and the sanctity of all human life, while in Congress.” … [Read more...]