By Elizabeth Clarke, LCNews PINEVILLE, La. (LCNews) - Justin Langford has been named dean of the College of Missions and Ministries at Louisiana College. Langford has been a faculty member for eight years, most recently serving as interim dean. Langford is a 2003 graduate of Louisiana College in sociology. He earned his Master of Divinity in biblical languages, Master of Theology and Ph.D. in New Testament from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, finishing in 2012. He served churches while in seminary as both music minister and youth minister. In 2013, he returned to LC to teach in the then-called Division of Christian Studies. “I am honored and grateful to Dr. Rick Brewer and Dr. Cheryl Clark for this wonderful opportunity to serve my alma mater,” Langford said. “I am eager to work with the excellent faculty we have in our area. I firmly believe that our role is to model servant leadership to our students. We hope and pray that, upon graduating, they will then enter our churches and mission fields equipped with the knowledge, experience, and servant mindset that is needed to impact our world for Christ. President Rick Brewer said Langford has been an excellent faculty member during his time at LC’s … [Read more...]

By Elizabeth Clarke, LCNews PINEVILLE, La. (LCNews) - Louisiana College has been chosen to receive two department enhancement grants from the Louisiana Board of Regents. The grants totaling more than $135,000 will provide for a business analytics classroom and a new stage for the theatre program. The Louisiana Board of Regents received 114 grant applications for department enhancement grants this year and recommended funding for 32 proposals. The business proposal ranked 7 and theatre ranked 13, which were high in the statewide competition, said Henry Robertson, LC director of institutional effectiveness and grants coordinator. The Board of Regents Enhancement grants will provide for a business analytics classroom in Alexandria Hall at an investment of $79, 972, and $55,802 comes for new stages in the Martin Performing Arts Center to benefit the theatre program. “We are always grateful to the Board of Regents for their financial support of our programs at LC,” President Rick Brewer said. “There are many worthwhile colleges and universities that need support across the state, and money is limited. These two grants will be transformational for the students here.” Adena LeJeune, chair of the Division of Business, wrote … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – A second fire in less than a week, consumed the fellowship hall at Trinity Baptist Church in Pineville on April 22. Pastor Kevin Roberts told the Baptist Message he was studying in his office on campus around 3:15 pm when a church member who had been cutting the grass on campus alerted him of the fire. Crews from Pineville/Holiday Village responded within 10 minutes and managed to contain the fire to that one facility. The fire took place in the same area of the building that burned on April 18. At the time, Roberts and other church members were visiting in the parking lot when they noticed smoke coming from the roof of the building. Roberts said an electrical fire caused the fire earlier in the week. “Please pray for wisdom as we decide what’s next,” Roberts said. “And also that we have no more fires.” … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NAPOLEONVILLE, La. (LBM) – First Baptist Church in Napoleonville, which in 2018 lost its worship center and Sunday school space in a fire, celebrated a new chapter in ministry April 11 when members and guests gathered to dedicate its new facility. More than 100 people were on hand for the service to remember how God brought the church out of the fire and into a very bright future. “What was accomplished here was nothing short of a miracle,” Pastor Chuck Chiasson told the Baptist Message. “I believe the fire and the rebuilding program of the last three years will redefine this church for years to come. Through trust in God, prayerful giving and the hard work of our members along with mission groups and other people, God has blessed us and we praise Him for our new facility.” Chiasson said a feeling of helplessness overcame him when he received the call that the church building was burning after lightning strike on Jan. 7, 2018. However, the next morning Chiasson was heartened when he began receiving calls from so many people offering help as well as encouragement. He soon discovered insurance would cover only half of the estimated $1 million needed to rebuild the … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – A fire heavily damaged the fellowship hall at Trinity Baptist Church in Pineville Sunday evening, April 18. According to Pastor Kevin Roberts, he and other church members were visiting in the parking lot at 8:30 p.m. when they noticed smoke coming from the roof of the building. Fire crews from Alpine, Kolin, Holiday Village and Pineville were on the scene four minutes after Roberts and other church members called 911. The cause of the fire was still under investigation Monday morning, April 19. He asked for continued prayers as they determine what to do next. “We are very grateful no one was inside when the fire broke out,” Roberts told the Baptist Message. “Had we not been here when the fire began, it may have jumped to other parts of the campus. We are very grateful we were here and caught it so fast, and that so many fire departments got here as quickly as they did.” … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief crews spent the weekend assessing damage and clearing debris from properties that were impacted by a strong line of storms that came through the state. Gibbie McMillan, Louisiana Baptists state disaster relief coordinator, told the Baptist Message that crews from Wilda Baptist Church, Boyce, and Big Cane Baptist Church, Morrow, removed a tree that fell on a home in Bayou Jack. DR members Reggie Saxton and Tom Rabalais also assessed homes in Palmetto, which was heavily damaged by an EF-3 tornado packing 140 mph winds. The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado touched down on Bolden Road in St. Landry Parish at 2:06 am Saturday. The tornado destroyed several homes, including a single wide mobile home that rolled for more than 320 yards and caused the death of a man inside the residence. St. Landry Parish Police Jury President Jessie Bellard confirmed the fatality as Jose Antonio Higareda, 27. The National Weather Service also reported that seven other people in the area were injured, 15 homes were damaged, numerous trees and power lines were snapped and some barns and outbuildings were destroyed. Further north, Jerry Smith, 48, died after a tree … [Read more...]