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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

First Columbia’s ‘Campaign For Christ’ getting the message out

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer COLUMBIA – The presidential race is in full swing, but one Louisiana Baptist church is in the midst of a campaign that reaps eternal results. Since February, members of First Baptist Church in Columbia have placed signs in the front lawns of homes and businesses in the parish. Based on 2 Corinthians 5:20, the Campaign for Christ is intended to remind believers they are representatives of Jesus. “If we’re Christians, we’re ambassadors,” said Pastor Eric Harriman. “The signs have no church name on it because it’s a campaign for Christ, not a campaign for First Baptist. If you believe you are on campaign for Christ, if you’ll let us put a sign in your yard, it will remind you when you leave and when you come home that you’re an ambassador for Christ.” The idea was born during a weekly Monday evening men’s Bible study at the church. Some men who had run for political office before told Harriman that during their individual campaigns, they had visited 95 percent of the homes in Caldwell Parish. Harriman concluded that  if someone campaigning for office could visit nearly every home in an effort to get elected, First Baptist Columbia could do the same thing in an effort to spread the hope … [Read more...]

Sheriff orders child to stop sharing Bible verses at school

By Todd Starnes, Fox News ***This article was previously posted at the Christian Examiner and is used by permission. PALMDALE (Calif.) — A public school in California ordered a 7-year-old boy to stop handing out Bible verses during lunch – and they dispatched a deputy sheriff to the child's home to enforce the directive. "This is a clear, gross violation of the rights of a child," said Horatio Mihet, a Liberty Counsel attorney representing the first-grader who attends Desert Rose Elementary School in Palmdale. They are also representing his parents, Christina and Jaime Zavala. Mrs. Zavala made it a practice of including a Bible verse and encouraging note in her son's lunch bag. The boy would tell his friends about the note and read them aloud at the lunch table. To read the full story, click here     … [Read more...]

Obama cites Bible’s ‘Golden Rule’ and his faith to defend transgender bathroom directive to schools

by Stoyan Zaimov, Christian Examiner ***This article was previously posted at the Christian Examiner and is used by permission. WASHINGTON (Christian Post) — President Barack Obama said that his understanding of the Bible and his Christian beliefs led him to issue the directive at public schools calling on students to be allowed to use the bathroom of their choosing regardless of their biological sex. "My reading of scripture tells me that that [the] Golden Rule is pretty high up there in terms of my Christian belief," he said during a town hall in Elkhart, Indiana, according to Breitbart News on Thursday. When asked why he decided to make such a big issue out of school bathrooms, Obama explained that his concern stems from the bullying that transgender students experience. "What happened and what continues to happen is you have transgender kids in schools and they get bullied and they get ostracized and it's tough for them," the president explained. Obama said that he understands not all people agree with him, and added: "I have profound respect for everybody's religious beliefs on this, but if you're at a public school, the question is, how do we just make sure that, children are treated with kindness." The directive … [Read more...]

Why Barbara Norton’s comments matter

By Louis R. Avallone, louisavallone@mac.com By now, many of you have heard about Louisiana State Rep. Barbara Norton’s comments about how the Declaration of Independence is “unfair” and “not the truth”, regarding her opposition to a bill in the state legislature mandating that schoolchildren in Louisiana be taught the Declaration of Independence. Some have been upset, to say the least. Others, not so much. But what she said matters, and it matters a lot, and not just because so many disagree with her. Here’s why it matters so much more than this one particular issue itself: You see, our elected officials can’t just show up and “check the box” without the same level of careful preparation and practice that a musician requires to play a musical instrument well, or that a pilot needs to fly an airplane safely, or that doctor must have before performing a surgery competently. But unlike the musician who plays out of tune, being an unprepared state legislator (or school board member, member of Congress, etc.) can have far more significant consequences, because of the number of lives affected in our communities, sometimes in the millions – and this incompetence has nearly bankrupt our nation financially, morally, spiritually, and … [Read more...]

With a vision for the future, First Covington expands

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer COVINGTON – The new worship center under construction at First Baptist Church Covington is a project 15 years in the making. Once complete, the southeast Louisiana congregation believes the new facility will provide a space to reach their growing community for generations to come. Scheduled for completion in mid-2018, the worship center will seat up to 2,400 people. That’s a far cry from the capacity of 1,250 in its current facility. When the church moved from its location in downtown Covington in 2001, Pastor Waylon Bailey said much of the area was mostly undeveloped. As they began exploring possible locations for a move, a leader in St. Tammany Parish advised the church against moving to the present location, saying he believed the growth was headed in another direction. But, church leaders continued to be drawn to the 43-acre site where the church stands today. Fifteen years later, the church is surrounded by restaurants, storefronts, schools and homes. Bailey said when he thinks about the 2001 move from the previous 2 ¼ acres of land with 50 parking spaces to the present spacious campus which  has 1,000 parking spaces – with an additional 500 to be added – he is thankful they … [Read more...]

Louisiana Milestones

ON THE MOVE Ron Nation is new as pastor at Unity Baptist Church, Deville. Chuck Evans is new as pastor at Zion Hill Baptist Church, Dry Prong. Elliot, wife Suzi, Kahn new as staff director at Acadian Baptist Center, Eunice. Stephen Richardson retires from Colfax Baptist Church, Colfax. In addition to Colfax and several other churches, he has served in the ministry for 46 years. Caleb Willis is the new minister of music at Fairview Baptist Church, Coushatta. IN REMEMBERANCE Perry Webb, Jr., 91, of Natchitoches, passed away May 14. Services were held May 21 at First Baptist Church, Natchitoches. A private graveside service, under the direction of Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home, will be held prior to the memorial service. Webb served as a Baptist minister for 74 years. He began his pastoral ministry as a seminary student, serving a country church in East Central Illinois. Webb went on to pastor First Baptist Church, Poteet, Texas (1949-1952); First Baptist Church, Natchitoches (1952-1964); First Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia (1964-1975); and First Baptist Church, Baton Rouge (1975-1988). He served on the Louisiana Baptist Executive Board as secretary, vice chairman and president. He was President of the Louisiana Baptist … [Read more...]

EDITORIAL: Why are IMB leaders not answering questions?

By Will Hall, Message Editor RICHMOND (Baptist Message) – Fifteen questions about the management practices and philosophy of the International Mission Board remain unanswered despite multiple attempts through several channels to get specific details about how Southern Baptists’ $300 million cooperative overseas evangelistic effort is being led. These questions, the first of which were submitted March 16 by the Louisiana Baptist Message, seek to find out what operational analysis had been done in the decision to downsize the SBC’s largest cooperative outreach to the lost around the world. Some also address issues raised by comments made by IMB missionaries and staff, indicating suspicions that something is afoot, besides fixing a budget shortfall, by IMB leaders’ recent layoff of 1,132 personnel. Importantly, all of the questions already are being discussed to varying degrees on a number of levels among Southern Baptists who simply want to know the facts. LINGERING QUESTIONS Perhaps the most troubling issue about the termination of 1,132 missionaries and staff is not just the human tragedy of uprooting so many men and women who God called to the mission field – a calling Southern Baptists confirmed by commissioning … [Read more...]

Sales tax laws impact LBC churches

By Will Hall, Message Editor When the Louisiana legislature passed measures during a special session earlier this year to close the gap in the state budget, lawmakers targeted a number of transactions that included activities of local churches. The Louisiana Baptist Convention consulted with attorneys and tax experts to develop guidance on how these apply to congregations and associations pertaining to such areas as: Fundraisers (cake sales, auctions, golf tournaments and sponsorships) Admission and registration fees for conferences Food banks and clothing stores Snack shop and bookstore sales These changes are effective immediately; however, a second special legislative session will convene June 6 specifically to address some of the tax issues relating to nonprofits. The guidance for churches and associations is posted at https://louisianabaptists.org/tax-changes-louisiana-churches/. Meanwhile, ministry leaders should monitor BaptistMessage.com and LouisianaBaptists.org for updates. Cake Sales Overview:  A member church’s congregation bakes cakes and donates them to the church for sale to the congregation and/or general public. Analysis:  Prior to April 1, 2016, sales of items at a fundraiser event for a … [Read more...]

Prison, state Senate chambers among the many sites for National Day of Prayer in Louisiana

By Brian Blackwell,vMessage Staff Writer DEQUINCY – Phelps Correctional Center may not be the first place a person envisions as a place to meet for the National Day of Prayer. But for Paula Mitchell, she couldn’t imagine spending her Thursday evening on May 5 at any other place. Accompanied by Sam Carroll, pastor of Reeves Baptist Church and his wife, Connie, Mitchell spent two-and-a-half hours with about 20 inmates, praying with them for needs that thousands of others around the country did on this important day. “The men that come to the chapel are so hungry for God so they love praying, singing, and hearing Gods word,” said Mitchell, a member of Unity Baptist Church in DeRidder. “We all enjoyed having the privilege of praying together on our nation's day that we come together to ask the Lord's guidance for us, our county and our leaders. “There are no boundaries, inside or outside the walls that God doesn’t hear our prayers,” she said. “He looks for humble hearts, and those men have been so down that they know how to look up and beg for God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness.” Created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the US Congress and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman, the National Day of Prayer is an annual … [Read more...]