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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

LC football players experience victory in Christ

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer DEVILLE, La. (LBM) – On Oct. 2, the Louisiana College football team posted their first victory as a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, but the following day scored an even bigger win as six players shared their newfound faith before classmates and friends during a special baptism service at Philadelphia Baptist Church, Deville, which also has a campus on Horseshoe Drive in Alexandria. Coach Drew Maddox said he was overcome with emotion as he watched so many of his players, one[1]by-one, stir the baptistery waters. Fifteen other new believing wildcats were unable to attend the special service but have since been baptized at other churches or they plan to take part in baptism soon. “It’s such a great feeling seeing these guys take such a bold step in their faith,” Maddox told the Baptist Message. “From the first day we meet as a team, I share with them my testimony and use others to also plant those seeds that hopefully will result in some of them accepting Christ. Anytime you meet the Lord it’s bigger than football.” Jaden Conley, a freshman from Springfield, said he was convicted to give his life to Christ after hearing Maddox share his testimony … [Read more...]

Executive Board meeting highlights personal revival, disaster relief

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer WOODWORTH, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptist Executive Director Steve Horn encouraged Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board members to seek revival, and others shared an encouraging update on the massive disaster relief response to Hurricane Ida during the Sept. 28 meeting. DISASTER RELIEF UPDATE Horn distributed copies of his newly published devotional, Change Me, and invited the Executive Board to be part of the 28-day experience that is shaped to spur personal revival. He also thanked those who have led and responded in the wake of Hurricane Ida, and shared a large portion of the time allotted for his report to allow disaster relief officials to present an update on recovery efforts. “It’s one thing to just hear a report but it’s another thing to be encouraged that mission dollars that have been given through churches, individuals, other state conventions,” Horn said in a prayer he led at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center in Woodworth. He asked anyone present who had been impacted by the hurricane to stand, and for the remaining Executive Board members to silently pray for them. “We rejoice in the salvations, some 150 that have been reported, over 500 Gospel … [Read more...]

Louisiana Notables

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@baptistmessage.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 Roland Fontenot is the new pastor at First Baptist Church, New Iberia. His first day at the church was Oct. 10. Aaron Watson is the new music minister at Calvary Baptist Church, Shreveport. Will Englerth will be ordained for the Gospel ministry October 17, 3:00 p.m. at Conway Baptist Church, located at 4323 HWY 549 in the Conway community in Union Parish. The council will meet at 2 p.m. Friends and family are invited to attend. HOMECOMING New Prospect Baptist Church, Dry Prong 97th annual Homecoming, October 10, 10 a.m. Dinner will be served after the service. Speaker: John Willie, pastor of Alpine Baptist Church. Worship: Robert Willie. Pastor: Trey Lewis. REVIVAL New Hope Baptist Church, Elmer: Revival, October 10-13; Sunday 10:45 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday-Wednesday 6:30 p.m.. Evangelist: Sam Moore. … [Read more...]

Kennedy votes to send disaster aid to Louisiana and extend flood insurance, Senate passes

By Jess Andrews, Office of Sen. John Kennedy WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) has voted in support of a short-term funding bill that would send disaster aid to Louisiana and extend the National Flood Insurance Program without raising the debt limit. The Senate passed the bill on Thursday, Sept. 30, which now moves to the House of Representatives. “If you even glance at the storm damage levied on Louisiana over the last year, you know our people need disaster relief," Kennedy said. "I’m thankful the Senate did the right thing by voting to send aid to our state, extend the flood insurance program Louisianians depend on and keep the government open." Senate Republicans attempted to pass a bill similar to Thursday's legislation on Sept. 27, but Democrats blocked that move before eventually removing the debt ceiling provision from their funding bill and bringing that measure for a vote today. Kennedy has explained the need for disaster aid and criticized the political gamesmanship that originally led Democrats to tether that aid to lifting the debt limit. Video of Kennedy’s comments made on Sept. 27 is available here. … [Read more...]

LC revival: Wilton urges students to become ‘new’

By Baptist Message staff PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – Don Wilton challenged Louisiana College students, during the campus revival service Wednesday, Sept. 29, to examine their own relationship with Christ and surrender all to Him. Wilton, pastor of First Baptist Church in Spartanburg, S.C., based his message on Colossians 1:25. He emphasized to the students that they could experience the same transformation that the apostle Paul experienced in his encounter with Christ. He also offered that each follower of Jesus will experience the fullness of God’s Word if they surrender their life to Him. “Do you know Jesus,” Wilton asked the students gathered inside Guinn Auditorium. “It begins with your relationship with Christ. Maybe today you need to give your heart to Jesus. Pray that simple prayer. Just do it.” Wilton was the featured speaker for the revival services, Sept. 28-30, which resulted in numerous decisions for Christ. Campus faculty will follow up with the students and disciple them. The decisions come as 30 students already have professed their faith in Jesus during the fall semester through the “Awakening” worship services featuring evangelist Curtis Zackery of Franklin, Tenn.,  Aug. 14-16 and the “Arrival” … [Read more...]

Children’s home opens new recreation center

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer MONROE, La. (LBM) – The Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and Family Ministries has opened a new recreation center that not only will provide a place to swim, play basketball and enjoy birthday parties but will offer healing to the many children on campus. “This place will be special because it will be filled with joy and laughter of our children,” LBCHFM President and CEO Perry Hancock said during his remarks at the dedication ceremony, Aug. 20. “For them, that is more than special. Most of them have experienced neglect. Many have faced abuse. But here, they will be able to relax and enjoy life. And while they are playing, God will be at work healing their minds and hearts.” The 18,300 sq.-ft. Children’s Recreation and Activity Center includes an indoor pool, gymnasium, and gift room (Christmas and birthday surprises are processed and stored here), and replaces the former gymnasium and pool, which were more than 60 and 40 years old, respectively. Though the project was announced in 2018 and set to open in 2020, the novel coronavirus pandemic, hurricanes and unexpected rising construction costs delayed the dedication until this year. The recreation and activity center … [Read more...]

Georgia Barnette Offering helps rescue women and children from sex trafficking

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer MONROE, La. (LBM) – Lindsey Crawford had not realized how prevalent sex trafficking was in her community until she met a young mother who was a former victim. For several weeks, Crawford could not forget the incident and asked God how she could be a part of the fight to end human trafficking in her hometown and beyond. What resulted was the creation of “Freedom13,” a jail ministry that focuses on outreach to formerly trafficked people in northeast Louisiana with the intentions of rebuilding their dignity. The ministry’s name is based on Galatians 5:13: “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.” “At ‘Freedom13’ we want to provide opportunities for women to start over,” Crawford said. “But more than that, we want women to know how important they are to the Lord, to us, and to the Body of Christ. We hope they will find or be reminded of their Gospel-centered, God-given purpose and walk it out, every day.” Since its founding, “Freedom13” has helped rescue more than 20 women and children from the sex trafficking industry and offers them resources to gain a new life through a … [Read more...]