Click to Login or Sign Up

Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Building family identity during the holidays

By James Dobson These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family. Esther 9:28 In today's hurry-up society, it's easy for frantic husbands and wives, as well as their harried children, to feel isolated and lonely. They begin to feel more like a busy cluster of people simply living together in a house than a living, breathing family with a linked character and heritage. One way to avoid this disconnection is to establish traditions that encourage closeness and fellowship. For instance, for many years the Dobson family has enjoyed several traditions during the holidays that center around food. Each year during Thanksgiving and Christmas, the women prepare marvelous turkey dinners with all the trimmings. Another favorite at these times is a fruit dish called ambrosia, containing sectioned oranges and grapes. The family peels the grapes the night before the big day. We look forward to these gatherings not just for the food, but for the laughter and warm family interaction that occurs when we come together. Even more beneficial are traditions that reinforce God's love for His children, such as attending church as a family, reading Scripture together, and singing songs of praise. They … [Read more...]

Zenoria rebuilds from flood, builds again from growth

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ZENORIA – Twenty-one months after a historic flood destroyed the facilities of Zenoria Baptist Church, a new day has come for the congregation. Nine feet of water from the Little River submerged the campus, March 11, 2016, and members dedicated a new worship center and education space exactly one year later. Now they have to build again, this time to expand because of growth, primarily from baptisms. The congregation has baptized four new believers, so far, this year, growing to 41 persons who faithfully take part in Sunday morning service, and they sense more are on the way. Pastor Joel Johnson told the Baptist Message expanded facilities are needed to expand the congregation’s ministries. Two Sunday school classrooms are being built, and the fellowship hall is being “up-sized,” with plans to build a cooking shed as well.   Johnson said despite the tragedy of the flood, many good things have resulted, especially with regard to the love expressed to this small community of believers, just 10 miles outside of Jena.   When the congregation decided not to “close the doors” after the flood, the Jena Band of Choctaws offered them a temporary meeting … [Read more...]

Three specific ways to pray for others to come to Jesus Christ

By Ronnie Floyd The local churches, denominations, ministries, and the prayer movement in America cannot be separated from evangelism. Consider this: If prayer and the desire for evangelism are genuine, they happen simultaneously. Are local churches, denominations, ministries and the prayer movement in America praying for others to come to Jesus Christ? Are you praying for others to come to Jesus Christ? Do you call out specific names to God each day? America needs Jesus Christ more now than ever before. Our hearts should be broken over the lostness of America and the world. Mocking it helps no one. Ignoring it does not make it go away. Every genuine Christian needs to pray for others to come to faith in Jesus Christ. 3 Specific Ways to Pray for Others to Come to Jesus Christ Pray for the scales to fall away from their blinded eyes. We cannot deny the reality of what Paul stated in 2 Corinthians 4:4, “In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” Only through God opening their eyes and minds to the gospel will the unsaved see and hear the good news of Jesus Christ. We need to … [Read more...]

Activate peace

By Steve Horn This year at Christmas, in our church, we are on a journey to Activate Advent. Yesterday (Dec. 10), we talked about the idea of “peace.” Peace has always been associated with Christmas. Such was the case on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day of 1914. The German troops and the Allied troops participated in a Christmas Truce in the middle of World War I. Though versions of exactly what happened are sketchy, the common thread in most accounts is that peace, albeit short-lived, happened in the name of Christmas. German and Allied troops sang carols together, exchanged gifts, and more than one account suggests that they had a friendly game of soccer. Christmas songs long for peace in the midst of war. “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” is from a poem by William Wadsworth Longfellow in the Days of America’s Civil War. “Do You Hear What I Hear” was written during the days of the Cuban Missile Crisis. We long for peace—peace with our past, peace with others, and ultimately with God. Isaiah prophesied the Messiah to be the Prince of Peace. The angels sang of peace. Jesus declared that “in Him” was peace. Jesus offered a greeting of peace to the one history has called “Doubting Thomas.” Paul counseled to let the … [Read more...]

Searcy prays big, God blesses big

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer TROUT, La. (LBM) - Searcy Baptist Church had planned in 2013 to build a new worship center on a four acre plot adjoining its campus. But God had even bigger plans for the congregation, leading a local businessman in 2016 to donate 30 acres of land less than a mile away. Dedicated Nov. 19, this year, the new facility (nearly 15,000 square feet under roof) includes a worship center with a seating capacity of 299, education space, an office suite and a fellowship area. The former facility contained fewer than 5,000 square feet of floor space. Pastor Reid Terry told the Baptist Message that God revealed Himself to the congregation in miraculous ways along the journey to the expansive campus. Meeting in January 2016 to discuss adding onto the old campus, church leaders prayed God would confirm their decision through a large donation to help jumpstart the building process. Within a month, a businessman (who attended a church breakfast for oil field workers in February 2014) informed the congregation that he wanted to donate land, and lots of it. “We just believed God would do something great and He did,” Terry said. “Within the month, this 30 acre property that we’re on now was … [Read more...]

A view from the manger

By Matt Tullos Beloved, Look closer into the manger. I so long for you to look into My eyes. There was a time you saw Me as Someone who tolerated you and all the messiness of your life, not knowing for a second the depth of the love I offer. I came to you, first, as a baby so that you would know that my vulnerability is complete. I am willing to be born in the world mankind has ruined so that you will know that I am utterly and completely present for you today. I came to you because life is filled with both risk and opportunity and you, yes singular you, were worth the risk. I came to you because love is never forced. It can never be. On that night in Bethlehem, I had nothing to offer you except the promise that things would change if you loved Me. I came to you because I realized that the world had gone mad with all the useless rubbish that men crave in darker shadows. I came to you because nothing else would work. There was no way for you to truly see the kind of love I offered without stepping out of Heaven’s splendor into the broken world east of Eden’s hope. I came to you so that you could see how I respond to broken people- those whose lives are ruined in the morass of self-defeat. I came to you … [Read more...]