By Norm Miller, Baptist Message special assignments reporter SULPHUR, La. (LBM)--Despite the double calamities of a hurricane and the coronavirus, Maplewood First Baptist Church is rebounding. “We’ve been seeing quite a few visitors – new people we’re trying to get to know,” said Pastor Jeremy Blocker. Some had moved to the area before Hurricane Laura and are now looking for a church home, Blocker told the Baptist Message. “Some of them in these hard times -- when things opened back up -- they started searching; we’ve tried to help them find Jesus. Worship’s been awesome, and we’re seeing a lot of answers to prayers.” Blocker said the congregation’s passion for doing ministry never wavered, but “it’s just kind of crazy trying to decide when do we restart and what and how do we restart it.” Such decisions would be easier if the church still had its 13,000 square-foot building that housed its Hope Christian School. Considered irreparable from water damage, all that remains of it after demolition is a concrete slab. The church likely will not rebuild where the school once stood but is looking to maximize their existing footprint. “We’re not going to rebuild for 1950. We’ll use this as an opportunity to build for the … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, Baptist Message special assignments reporter DRY CREEK, La. (LBM)—Many people refer to Hurricanes Laura and Delta and the coronavirus pandemic as “acts of God.” Combine these with a hotel fire, and the subsequent revenue losses from the several calamities have slammed Dry Creek Baptist Camp in Beauregard Parish. But Director Todd Burnaman remains undaunted, saying God is acting now, after the disasters. “I trust that God has a plan to renew us, give us new tools, better tools, for ministry to attract people,” he said. “James chapter one says that trials develop perseverance, and that brings us to completion. We’ve definitely experienced those trials. But without the bat of an eye, we understand God’s faithfulness.” Burnaman estimates that losses for the last 12 or so months approach $2 million. The recent fire that consumed the White House lodge, an old school building transformed into a hotel for camp leaders, accounts for about $1 million of that total. “That was a real gut punch,” he said, noting the significant loss of the asset and future revenue source. The cause of the fire is not yet known; regardless, Burnaman said he finds solace in “God’s decision that our time with the hotel was up.” The … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer BERNICE, La. (LBM) – Scott Scallan recently celebrated his 10-year anniversary at Shiloh Baptist Church in Bernice, honoring God through the church’s first baptism of 2021 and with a recitation from memory of the book of Hebrews. “It’s always a blessing to have a baptism; to have someone publicly declare their faith this way,” Scallan said of the special day, Feb. 28. “One of the themes of Hebrews is the importance of faith. I can’t think of a better way to introduce the book of Hebrews than to baptize someone to bring home the message of faith and Christ’s sacrifice for us all.” GRACE THROUGH BAPTISM Two months before the service, Adelynn Franks, 7, shared with her parents Kimberly and Daniel, how she was a sinner and needed Christ to come into her life. Kimberly Franks noted that several years of sowing biblical truths into her daughter resulted in reaping the hoped-for spiritual fruit in the youngster’s life. “Our hearts are filled with so much joy,” Kimberly Franks said. “As a parent, one of my responsibilities is to raise her in a godly way so at one point she will hopefully make that decision to accept Christ. Seeing that fulfilled through her and knowing … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message, and Elizabeth Christian, LC News PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – Best-selling author Jay Richards challenged students and community members at the Louisiana College “God in the Workplace” annual seminar, March 22, to embrace free enterprise as the economic system that best reflects God's plan for man. “God creates the sand, but then he leaves it to us to create fiber optic cables and computer chips made effectively of sand,” said Richards, an assistant research professor with the Busch School of Business, Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C. “God could have created computer chips directly and instead he left us with the materials to do it ourselves." Richards said free enterprise maximizes opportunities to create value and wealth that did not exist beforehand. Free enterprise is not perfect, he added, but it is the economic system most compatible with the Christian worldview. “It doesn’t usher in a utopian Heaven on earth, but it’s the best of the available alternatives,” he said. Richards said some people fail to grasp this concept because they hold various “myths” about economics, such as the thought that the essence of free enterprise is based on greed and that economic … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, Baptist Message special assignments reporter LAKE CHARLES, La. (LBM)--University Baptist Church in Lake Charles escaped the brunt of Hurricane Laura’s wrath and has since become a haven for three other congregations who were not spared. “We saw the needs of other churches that were damaged beyond use,” said UBC Pastor John Astling. “And we wanted to help them get back to worshiping again – get back to some sense of normalcy.” At staggered times every Sunday, UBC opens its facilities to three other Lake Charles churches: Emmanuel Baptist and its Hispanic mission, as well as Calvary Baptist Church. UBC also hosts services by Johnson Funeral Home, which Laura demolished. “Zeb Johnson has done so much for our community that I just jumped at the chance to help him,” Astling explained. “His benevolence toward law enforcement and the fire department and others is well-known in the community.” Astling told the Baptist Message it is a tremendous opportunity because people are coming into UBC that congregants have not had a chance to touch with ministry before. “The funerals have given us the chance to talk to people, witness to them, and to build relationships in the community,” he said. Others are … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer TIOGA, La. (LBM) – Clark Palmer has encouraged his members to “find one, invite one and bring one” to Palm Sunday or Easter Sunday services at Faith Baptist Church in Tioga. He said he is praying the effort will yield much spiritual fruit, including additional baptisms at a church whose post-pandemic Sunday morning worship attendance is 70. Palmer is hopeful they will soon return to their pre-virus average of 80 to 90. “We all know the number one way that people come to church is by someone inviting them,” Palmer told the Baptist Message. “Lots of people are waiting to be invited. If 30 people are invited and five come, and one develops a long-term relationship with Christ because of it, then it would have been worth the effort. We are not responsible to make results happen, but we are responsible to invite, encourage and make an appeal to people.” The effort is part of the “Increase Challenge,” a five-step action plan in effect through May 31 that Palmer, who is moderator for the CENLA Baptist Association, has issued to member pastors. He is encouraging them to find a way to focus on actions that can move people to understand the Gospel clearly and then respond in … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff BAKER, La. – Joseph Backholm, a senior research fellow for biblical worldview and strategic engagement at the Family Research Council, will be the keynote speaker at the upcoming Louisiana Family Forum Leadership Academy. Scheduled June 6-8 at Timothy Retreat Center in Baker, the intensive training program will equip young adults, ages 16-22, with leadership skills, life-purpose strategies, advanced communication techniques, public speaking skills, counter-culture methods, and a biblically based perspective on government. By the end of the weekend, attendees will be able to answer, “What is my life’s purpose?” An early registration cost of $250 is available through May 1. Afterward, the cost will increase to $300. Scholarships are available for those with financial hardships. For more information on attending, or to donate funding for scholarships, visit lafamilyforum.org/2021academy/. … [Read more...]

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 Katy Baumgardner is the new youth ministry associate at Summer Grove Baptist Church, Shreveport. Tim Patrick will conclude duties as Director of Missions for Beauregard Parish in April. Byron Comish is the interim pastor at First Baptist Church, Springfield. Nick (wife Kara) Watts is the new student minister at First Baptist Church, Lafayette Trey Miller is the interim director at Bethany Camp & Conference Center. Chris Young is the new associate pastor at Calvary Baptist Church, Shreveport. Danny (wife JoDee) Taylor is the new pastor at Ida Baptist Church, Ida. Chris Young resigned as pastor at South Bossier Baptist Church, Bossier City. Daniel Martin has been called to Midway Baptist Church, Livingston as pastor. Carl Sullivan is the new interim pastor at Satsuma Baptist … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) –For several months Jeremiah Williams had used a makeshift goal to train for Upward basketball games at First Baptist Church in Pineville, but a passerby who drove by the young man’s home in mid-February decided he needed a real hoop to call his own. Devin Hinkston first met Williams, 9, on Feb. 13 as he was driving around Alexandria and noticed the youngster was shooting the ball into a trash can. After a brief conversation with Williams, Hinkston purchased a basketball goal at a nearby store and surprised him with the gift. “Ma’am, I saw your little boy shooting the ball in the trash can earlier and so I bought him a basketball goal,” Hinkston, a member of New Scott Olly Baptist Church in Alexandria, told the boy’s grandmother, Patricia Williams. The gesture prompted Williams to share the news on her Facebook page, which since Feb. 13 has generated 13,000 likes and 20,000 shares and prompted stories by numerous local and national media outlets. The Kelly Clarkson Show is scheduled to air the story, March 30, and Hinkston and Jeremiah Williams are scheduled to fly to New York City to appear on Good Morning America later this summer. “I got … [Read more...]