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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Despite obstacles caused by a pandemic, First Bossier’s new facilities rise from the ashes

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BOSSIER CITY, La. (LBM)–The novel coronavirus pandemic has not slowed the rebuilding of the facilities of the First Baptist Church in Bossier City, 17 months after a fire destroyed much of the campus. "This has been encouraging to the church body and the community around us to see the construction not stop," Pastor Brad Jurkovich told the Baptist Message. "We have had several people to say it's been so cool to see new construction going on. I believe this has given our congregation and the area hope in the midst of this pandemic." A groundbreaking ceremony Sept. 29, 2019, launched the rise of a new $20 million, 70,000-square-foot building to replace facilities destroyed by an early morning fire on Dec. 10, 2018. The worship center and Tiny Town preschool area were among the few buildings that were not damaged by the fire. Once complete in the summer of 2021, there will be a new chapel, student center, foyer and event center and space for Sunday school classes and other small groups to meet. Crews already remodeled the children's area and replaced 25 offices that were lost in the fire. Currently the worship center, foyer and small group space are undergoing a renovation. In … [Read more...]

Franklin Avenue grows outside the walls of its new facilities

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer NEW ORLEANS, La. (LBM) – Sunday mornings these days are a little different for Pastor Fred Luter. Instead of preaching to nearly 3,000 worshipers packed inside the new worship center at the Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans East, Luter finds himself facing empty chairs as he shares his message to a virtual audience watching via Facebook Live and YouTube. Rather than dwell on the absence of faces in front of him, Luter focuses on the 10,000 or so "hidden" viewers who are listening each Sunday morning. Importantly, he maintains a priority on sharing the Word, regardless, and as a result, an average of 15 people per week since going online-only March 15 have respond by humbling their hearts to Christ for salvation or restoration or church membership, he said. Luter said he never dreamed God would use this online option to reach so many with the Gospel. "We built a big sanctuary when we relocated in 2018 and now have empty seats," Luter told the Baptist Message. "We are limited in our ministry now because we can't get out much, but our reach to share Christ has never seemed so unlimited. "Never would we have gotten this type of response if it were not for this … [Read more...]

Tall Timbers cancels summer camps

By Message Staff WOODWORTH, La. (LBM)--Louisiana Baptist leaders announced May 14 that all state convention-sponsored camps at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center will not take place this summer because of novel coronavirus pandemic-related safety concerns. "In light of Governor Edwards' updated guidelines and after consultations with multiple medical professionals we determined we could not safely conduct the camps given the current state of the COVID outbreak," Dale Lingenfelter, director of the business and information services team for Louisiana Baptists, told the Baptist Message. Lingenfelter noted Louisiana Baptists Executive Director Steve Horn and the rest of the executive leadership team have monitored the situation since mid-March. "There were many considerations that factored into this difficult decision," Lingenfelter continued. "Groups come to Tall Timbers from across Louisiana and surrounding states and when you take into account space for social distancing, the wearing of masks, sleeping in close quarters and then returning to their cities and churches after days of such exposure, it seemed very problematic." Groups who registered for a 2020 camp automatically will receive a refund. Tall Timbers, a … [Read more...]

Churches regather within Phase One limits

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM)--Many Louisiana Baptist churches opened their worship centers for services over the weekend, nearly two months after restrictions on public gatherings forced congregations to find alternatives to meeting together within their facilities. But reopening had limits. On Friday, Gov. John Bel Edwards issued guidance that restricted attendance to 25 percent of seating capacity and instituted other measures said to mitigate transmission of the novel coronavirus --  as part of Phase One of restarting the economy after limiting assemblies to 10 people or fewer since March 15. "As we begin to regather in buildings I pray that we never take for granted the public worship assembly," Louisiana Baptists Executive Director Steve Horn told the Baptist Message. "As we regather, I pray that just as in the days after the Old Testament era of exile, there will be a return to true and pure worship. Moreover, as we see a return to the building and a more authentic worship, may it prompt a repentance that leads to revival." Philadelphia Baptist Church in Deville reported 385 in attendance, collectively, for its service on Saturday night and three services Sunday evening, and 113 total … [Read more...]

Disaster relief volunteers offer frontline response during COVID-19

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM)--The novel coronavirus pandemic has kept most of the state's population at a general standstill for nearly two months, but not more than 100 Louisiana Baptist volunteers who have been on the front lines providing disaster relief to tornado-stricken victims, for instance, while also offering them the hope that is found in Christ. MINISTERING TO THE MULTITUDES Since Gov. John Bel Edwards issued his first of several statewide restriction measures, March 13, disaster relief teams have ministered at feeding sites, provided hospitals with essential protective equipment, established a homeless outreach center, set up a mobile shower station to assist a jail in its COVID-19 response, and, completed chainsaw and other cleanup duties in multiple tornado-stricken communities. Gibbie McMillan, Louisiana Baptists state disaster relief coordinator, said he has been amazed at the volunteers' selfless attitude. "They have been champions," McMillan told the Baptist Message. "They had the time off from their regular jobs and felt like as long as they practiced common sense social distancing they would be alright. Thankfully, none of our team members even got sick and we credit that … [Read more...]

VERNON PARISH: Helping Hands announces June 3 reopening

By Message Staff LEESVILLE, La. (LBM) – Helping Hands Storefront Ministries has announced plans to resume all operations June 3. While food distribution to families has continued throughout the duration of the novel coronavirus pandemic, Helping Hands temporarily discontinued its other ministries once Gov. John Bel Edwards' stay-at-home order went into effect March 23. Director Modie Phillips said after much prayer, she felt enough time will have passed by early June to resume services. "I called many of our volunteers asking if they were willing to return to work on June 3rd and I rejoiced as they all said yes," Phillips told the Baptist Message. Phillips added that the storefront will take such precautions as volunteers wearing masks and gloves, and offering customers use of a mask while inside their facility. Helping Hands, a compassion ministry of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, has ministered in Vernon Parish since 1992. Since the coronavirus, the ministry's food pantry has served around 470 families each month, compared to nearly 330 monthly in early March. Helping Hands also operates a clothes closet, chapel, English as a Second Language classes, home supply center, school supply distribution to area students every … [Read more...]

Summerfield using food pantry to feed souls

By Message Staff COLFAX, La. (LBM) – Kennedy Walls recently visited the food pantry at Summerfield Baptist Church in Colfax to pick up a few items, but left with much more -- a renewed passion for the Lord. "Coming to the food pantry was the only way I was going to hear about my need to get right with Christ," Walls told the Baptist Message. "After everything is open, I'm going to start coming to church and grow more with others in my faith." Since Summerfield Baptist opened its food pantry to the community in mid-March, they have had five Gospel conversations, with two participants making decisions to restore fellowship with the Lord. The ministry has given away non-perishable food, toilet paper, Bibles and Gospel tracts. Pastor Jeremy Brister said that before the novel coronavirus pandemic, the congregation recognized the need to help those living in poverty. As a result of conversations about setting up a feeding ministry someone donated a custom-made food pantry, about the size of an armoire, which has been refilled multiple times each week. The congregation, which had been averaging 30 participants in its Sunday morning worship services in mid-March, has used the food pantry as a way to reach out to the community. Now … [Read more...]

LBC provides information for resuming children, youth ministries

By Message Staff ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM)--The Louisiana Baptist Convention has issued guidance for a three-phased approach to resuming child and youth ministries on campus. These recommendations provide practical steps as well as topics to consider in re-gathering age-graded groups The complete set of suggested standards for operating can be found by clicking here. … [Read more...]

Abraham reaches out to relocate Tesla to Louisiana

By Message Staff MONROE, La. (LBM) - Congressman Ralph Abraham has invited Tesla CEO Elon Musk to relocate the electric vehicle manufacturer's operations from Palo Alto, California, to northeast Louisiana. Abraham, who is a member of Alto Baptist Church, sent a letter to Musk Tuesday and said the area has the qualified workforce to produce the company's electric cars and solar panels. He cited employees who previously worked for the General Motors plant in Monroe that closed in 2007, and the area's Interstate 20 Tech Corridor that includes CenturyLink as assets for a possible relocation. Additionally, Abraham said northeast Louisiana provides affordable, high quality living and access to Interstate 20, an airport, rail service and ports that are situated along the Mississippi River. "We've got some positives too that nobody else has," Abraham told the Baptist Message. "We've got plenty of open spaces that have rail, fiber and water. We have people in Louisiana that are just chomping at the bits to go to work. "The wonderful thing about Louisianans is that they are not afraid to do hard work and work that they can make a decent living at," he continued. "Here in north Louisiana we are open for business and we will … [Read more...]