By Baptist Message staff MANY, La. (LBM) – Billy Burkett, a pastor of northwest Louisiana Baptist churches for seven decades, died Sunday, Nov. 1. He was 90. A native of Converse, Burkett preached his first message when he was 16 and one year later surrendered to the ministry at Fellowship Baptist Church in Converse, according to his obituary. Burkett served 70 years as a pastor in Louisiana and two years as missions pastor of College Heights Baptist Church in Alamosa, Colorado. Most recently, he was pastor of Bethany Baptist Church in Marthaville, one of 10 Louisiana Baptist churches he served. Burkett also was active in the District 8 Baptist Convention, helping to form Clara Springs Baptist Camp in Pelican. Burkett was preceded in death by his parents, John and Gladys Burkett; his first wife for 62 years, Mary Louise Pentecost; and his sister, Johnnie Mae. He is survived by his wife, Martha Jane; sister, Elaine Burkett; three children, Mike Burkett (Sue), Don Burkett (Virginia), and Lisa Graham (Randy); Martha's children, Robert Burleson and Jo Lynn Graham; and numerous grandchildren. Family and friends gathered for celebration of life services Tuesday, Nov. 3, at Fellowship Baptist. In lieu of flowers, the family is … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer CROWLEY, La. (LBM) – A former Louisiana Baptist pastor is hoping to receive an early Christmas gift – a living donor who would offer up a portion of his or her liver to give him a chance to regain some semblance of a normal life. In 2014, doctor's discovered David Kindred's liver had been damaged beyond its ability to restore itself because of complications from medications prescribed for an errant diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. Since then, his family has prayed fo find a qualified donor. Kindred, who accepted Christ while serving on a mission trip with First Baptist Church, Scott City, in 1973, last served as pastor of Rice City Baptist Church, Crowley, 2004-2006. Although he is no longer serving as a pastor, Kindred continues to be active in ministry as a Sunday school teacher and choir member at Community Baptist Church, Lafayette, where he and his family are members. DONOR INFORMATION The liver is one of the only organs in the human body that has the ability to regenerate, or regrow, according to medical textbooks. Between 8-10 weeks after the living-donor liver transplant, the liver will regrow to full size and function in both the donor and the recipient. The donor … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – The CENLA Pregnancy Care Center has donated $10,000 to two pregnancy centers in Lake Charles, an area hit hard by recent hurricanes. CENLA Pregnancy Care Center Executive Director Claire Lemoine said the gifts of $5,000 to both centers will cover 40 percent of the monthly budgets for ABC Pregnancy Resource Center and New Life Counseling. “Those involved in pregnancy center ministry support and encourage one another,” Lemoine told the Baptist Message. “Making these donations are another way of showing how we care for the mothers, fathers and children these Lake Charles ministries serve. They were faced with devastation from the storms and we wanted to help.” Board Vice President Ed Tarpley, a member of Kingsville Baptist Church in Ball, added that the checks will help the two centers get through what has been a difficult time. “Our job, whether it be in southwest Louisiana or Cenla, is to promote life and save lives,” he said. “Lake Charles was devastated and we’re trying to do our part to help in a small way.” Lemoine said helping other pregnancy centers in the state save babies and minister to their mothers has been one of the most rewarding aspects of her job … [Read more...]

By Alena Noakes, Wildcats Media PINEVILLE, La. (LCNews) – “God’s plan is to unite us as one, and you have the opportunity to be a part of that process,” Alexandria physician Gregory Bevels said at the recent Louisiana College’s 5th annual Values and Ethics Conference. The conference, Nov. 4-5, featured speakers from various backgrounds who addressed one of the most critical issues in today’s culture, racism. Bevels, a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Alexandria, was joined by Louisiana state Rep. Katrina Jackson, author of the Louisiana Right to Life amendment and an equal rights proponent in the legislature, and Joshua Joy Dara, Sr., dean of the department of human behavior and associate vice president for student engagement and enrichment at LC and pastor of Zion Hill Church Family in Pineville. Chris Singleton, a former minor league baseball player whose mother was one of nine people killed during a 2015 deadly shooting at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C., shared his message virtually. “I think this mission of unity that we have … that’s Jesus’ mission,” Singleton said. “And I think if we lead people, no matter where they’re from or what they look like … if we lead them to the Lord, I … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Lee Wesley, a pastor who started one of the first predominantly African American Louisiana Baptist congregations in the Baton Rouge area, died Nov. 10. He was 76. Wesley had served as pastor of Community Bible Baptist Church in Baton Rouge since 1989, but he also was a well-known leader at all levels of Louisiana Baptist life. Friends and colleagues described him as a champion for bringing churches together to make the greatest Gospel impact on the community. According to information compiled from the Annual Church Profile, Tommy Middleton, director of missions for the Baptist Association of Greater Baton Rouge, and James Jenkins, Louisiana Baptist director of church planting, Wesley was the first African American moderator of BAGBR; he helped Middleton establish inner city camps for children in Baton Rouge; and, he also identified potential Black church planters. During his tenure at Community Bible Baptist Church, which averages 125 worshipers for Sunday morning service, 676 new converts were baptized since 1989. Statewide, Wesley was chairman of the Every People Group Task Force of the LBC President’s 2020 Commission since 2012. He also was an LBC Executive Board … [Read more...]