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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Local contractor donates crane, labor for Georgia Barnette Center

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer WOODWORTH – Baptist roots run deep through Cecil Gassiott’s blood. He is a member at Calvary Baptist Church in Woodworth and went to Rapides High School in Lecompte with John Hebert, missions and ministry director for Louisiana Baptists. So when the chance to donate manpower and use of his crane for laying trusses for the Georgia Barnette Conference Center became available, Gassiott knew this was an opportunity too good to pass up. “I have been so, so blessed through the years doing a few volunteer projects that I try not to miss one,” said Gassiott, a general contractor in Alexandria. “The end result winds up being so much more fruitful than any paying job can be. Just one ‘anything’ from God can change your life and your business. Plus, this job is at home and we’re working with friends.” The crane began operating around 7 a.m. Aug. 24 at Tall Timbers Conference Center and Gassiott’s crane finished on Sept. 3, but not without a small setback that was quickly resolved. Two days into the laying of trusses, the team on site discovered the pieces were slightly taller than what was needed. But Rogers Manufacturing Corporation in West Monroe, the company that built the … [Read more...]

Louisiana Notables

ON THE MOVE Stephen Jennings is the new associate pastor of music and worship at Colyell Baptist Church, Livingston. Michael Shamblin is the new pastor at Emmanuel, Lake Charles. John Astling is the new pastor at University Baptist Church, Lake Charles. Wayne (wife Michelle) DeSlattes is new as pastor at Kingston Road Baptist Church, Shreveport. Jeremy (wife Julie) Shepherd is the new pastor at Pineville Park Baptist Church, Pineville. Jacob (wife Amanda) is new as minister of local ministry evangelism at Summer Grove Baptist Church, Shreveport. Robbie Briggs is new minister of music at New Hope Baptist Church, DeQuincy. Tommie Hodge from New Hope, DeQuincy, to Pine Terrace Baptist Church, Milton, FL. Luke Hand is new youth and family pastor at Amite Baptist Church, Denham Springs. Bill Stroud is the interim pastor at Caddo Prairie Baptist Church, Hosston. Pat Lofton has been called as the interim pastor at Tillou Baptist Church, Bastrop. Daniel (wife Sarah) Guaglairdo is the new youth minister at Central Baptist Church, Springhill. Jeffery Triplet (wife Dianna) is the new youth minister at First Baptist Church, Haynesville. HOMECOMING Vick Baptist Church: Celebrating 100th Homecoming, Sept. 13, 10 a.m. … [Read more...]

Organizer says God at work in community outreach

ALEXANDRIA – Walter Layssard, a contractor and a member of Homewood Baptist Church in Alexandria, is on fire for God. “God is really in my life right now and He has laid it upon my heart to touch one million lives,” Layssard said. “And that is my objective.” A talented songwriter and singer since the age of 14, Layssard has turned to the ministry and has put together a community outreach – To Make Homewood Your Home – in which he is inviting people to come to church, while also feeding lunch to the first 200 people, handing out 100 CDs filled with Christian songs by Charles Crawford and two cases of Gideon Bibles. And it is all free . He will hold his outreach on Sept. 12 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at Quick Print Printing Services, located at 1125 Texas Avenue in Alexandria. “God has opened so many doors,” Layssard said. “I can’t say enough about Miss Sharon [Meranto] not only allowed me to use her parking lot but also provided me with the fliers and invitations I’ve been passing out. She donated three hours of her valuable time to make and print these fliers and invitations. “People at our local radio and TV stations have also been so helpful helping to get the word out as well. It has been a blessing to get this much … [Read more...]

How to deal with aftermath of Ashley Madison reveal

By Dr. Kathy Eichelberger, Director, Granberry Counseling Center, Monroe The Ashley Madison website was launched in 2001 as a matchmaking site for married people seeking to have affairs. The site’s slogan was “Life is short. Have an affair.” In July, hackers stole the personal data of more than 30 million of the site’s users and released it online in August, according to media reports. Stories are being heard across the globe, as well as in our state, of families torn apart, of children who are afraid of what’s happening to their parents, and of the tragedy of suicide. Ministers have resigned from their churches. Others are struggling with the guilt and shame of hidden sin, hoping that no one will find them out. Churches, Christian organizations, and their leaders are grappling with how to deal with the aftermath of Ashley Madison with grace and truth. Christian leaders need to understand the extensive nature of the damage that can be done by extramarital affairs to both families and church congregations. It will take months, and in some cases, even years, for complete healing to occur. Many see this issue from only one perspective: it is a sin problem. And yes, it is a sin problem that requires confession, repentance and … [Read more...]

Down by the river: First West celebrates baptism of 31 members in Ouachita

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer WEST MONROE – A few hundred members of First West recently celebrated the baptism of 31 fellow members down by the riverside. One of two river baptisms the church holds each year, First West held River Fest on a mid-August afternoon that resembled a true celebration by the Ouachita River. Nearly 600 people were present to witness the baptisms and take part in games, music, inflatables for the kids and a catered catfish supper. “There was a lot of energy, as people were super excited to get baptized,” said Christopher Trombatore, student pastor at First West. “We had people from every age range and socio-economic class. It was just a really neat day for our church and the people who were baptized.” For Trombatore, River Fest was extra special. The last person he baptized was Caleb Adams, a member of the youth group when Trombatore was student minister at Tom Hebert Road Baptist Church in Lake Charles. Now an intern for the student ministry at First West, Adams believed he had made a decision when he was younger and was baptized. However, as a teenager, Adams realized his true need for Christ but had not followed through with believer’s baptism. Adams told Trombatore he knew … [Read more...]

Rare action by federal judges emphasizes need for Supreme Court review of HHS Mandate

By Staff, GuideStone Financial Resources DALLAS — Today, five judges on the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals sharply criticized the court decision that ruled against GuideStone earlier this summer. A three judge panel ruled against GuideStone and GuideStone participants Truett-McConnell College and Reaching Souls International in July. In a rare move, the entire Tenth Circuit, on its own initiative, took a vote on whether to reconsider the panel decision. When the vote narrowly fell short, the five judges issued a dissenting opinion. Their opinion explains why the panel decision was “a dangerous approach to religious liberty” that is so “clearly and gravely wrong” that it “will not long survive.” The HHS mandate requires ministries that are not churches or integrated auxiliaries of churches to provide abortion-causing drugs and devices in their health plans or to face crippling fines. The parties in the case have argued that a false “accommodation” offered by the government still forces the ministries to violate their faith. GuideStone, along with churches and a very narrow class of other ministries, are exempt from the mandate and its penalties. But hundreds of evangelical Christian ministries that rely on GuideStone … [Read more...]

Platt: IMB reducing workforce by 600-800, overspent $210 million since 2010

By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA – David Platt, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board, shared that the overseas missions group had overspent its budget by $210 million since 2010, including $39 million in 2014, alone, dropping operating reserves to 4 months of funding, below the minimum 6 months amount advised by the SBC Executive Committee. Consequently, he said, the IMB plans to reduce its workforce – field missionaries and staff – by 600-800 people. PRESENT REALITIES During a conference call with reporters August 27 Platt laid out the situation in terms of a crisis of IMB’s own making. “The challenge we’re addressing is that despite increased giving to the IMB over the last four years, for example, we have consistently spent more money than has been given to us each year,” Platt explained. “What we realized,” he said, “is as we got into the budgeting process this year – even since the SBC—that not only did we have that $21 million shortfall in 2014, but we were also using global property sales to cover some of our expenses in 2014 that  was to the tune of $18 million. “So when you add those two numbers together you realize in total, in 2014, we were spending $39 … [Read more...]

GBO allows Louisiana Baptists to respond to many needs

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – The bad news – Louisiana has seen hundreds of thousands of dollars re-routed to other parts of the country. The good news – it’s been going to help penetrate the lostness across the United States. When Kevin Ezell became president of the North American Mission Board in 2010, he proposed, in concert with state convention leaders, a strategy that gradually shifted resources away from Southern states such as Louisiana that have a strong membership and financial base to states outside the South that typically do not have those same resources needed for ministry. Louisiana Baptists’ Executive Director David Hankins assured Ezell that Louisiana Baptists would respond positively to take care of their own. “I shared with Dr. Ezell that Louisiana Baptists are happy to be a part of the effort to penetrate lostness in North America,” said Hankins. “We believe our country needs to hear the Gospel. “I also assured him that we would step up to the challenge of fully supporting missions and ministries in Louisiana.” Formerly, many mission projects and personnel were jointly supported by the state and NAMB. Even though part of the support has gone away, the need for the … [Read more...]

First Haughton’s Spinney to be nominated for LBC President

By Philip Timothy, Message Managing Editor Gevan Spinney’s name will be placed in nomination for the position of president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention during this year’s LBC Annual Meeting, according to a press release distributed by Waylon Bailey, pastor of First Baptist Covington and former Louisiana Baptist Convention president. Spinney is the senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Haughton. The LBC Annual Meeting is scheduled to meet Nov. 9-10 at First Baptist Church in Bossier City. According to the release, Spinney is “a young man who loves Jesus and has a passionate heart for the lost while not compromising his conservative theology. He has served in almost every imaginable position in his association and in the state convention.” Since becoming the pastor of First Haughton in 2003, he has overseen the church’s explosive expansion. Under his leadership, First Haughton’s attendance has grown from 300 to 900 and the church has recently moved into a new $7 million children’s facility and worship center that seats 1200. In the last two years, the church has baptized 246, an average of 123 annually. Additionally, the church’s budget has more than doubled through his stewardship and First Haughton … [Read more...]

Ashley Madison – “It’s a different kind of Katrina”

By Joe McKeever, Retired Pastor/Author, New Orleans Editor’s Note: “Life is short. Have an affair.” That motto of the online adultery firm calling itself Ashley Madison has supposedly lured in nearly 40 million participants. The website promises “100 percent security.” It promises that registrants who pay the fee “will find someone within 3 months or we’ll refund your money.” Recently, hackers broke past the security wall and released the entire list. No one knows whether all the names are legitimate. We are learning that quite a few well-known political and religious leaders signed on to this amazingly bone-headed come-on. Many are running for cover. Others are into denial, some have gone public with their confession and repentance, and we have heard rumors of suicides as a result of this scandalous list. As a young minister, I said to a saintly older woman in the church, “You are the godliest person I know.” She said, “Oh, honey, if you just knew.” I’m the age of Marguerite Briscoe then. I know now what she knew then. There is none righteous, no, not one. We are all fallen creatures redeemed by the blood of the Lamb and in daily need of His grace and mercy. Oh no... I got caught up in the Ashley Madison scandal … [Read more...]