By Message Staff LAFAYETTE – Urgent prayers have been issued for Mel Granger, a Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief volunteer with the Acadia Baptist Association shower and laundry unit, who sustained injuries in a motorcycle accident Friday, February 14. According to Gibbie McMillan, Louisiana Baptists disaster relief strategist, Granger was struck by another vehicle around noon in Eunice. Granger, who is a member of North Eunice Baptist Church, is on life support at Lafayette General Medical Center. “Pray for the Lord’s will and for God’s grace to be with his family in this time of uncertainty,” McMillan told the Baptist Message. … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer GLENMORA (LBM) – Cadence Fontenot frequently viewed her life through a dark lens, but an encounter with Christ during the Focus 2020 revival at Glenmora High School gave her a new perspective on life. At the challenge offered by evangelist Ken Freeman “to live for Christ,” Fontenot repented for salvation, turning from her sins and giving her life to Christ. She was among 80 new converts who proclaimed Jesus as Lord during the revival, Jan. 18-20. Fontenot later joined five other members of the youth group at First Baptist Church in Oakdale, Feb. 2, for a baptismal celebration service. All six students had placed their faith in Christ during Focus 2020. “Before I gave my life to Christ, I thought negatively about everything and was never happy,” Fontenot said. “My pastor, youth pastor and Sunday school teacher had been working to prepare me for about a year, and when I finally gave it all to God, I was changed and felt love like never before.” FOCUS 2020 Each night during the revival, Freeman shared messages of hope to more than 500 people who gathered inside Glenmora High School’s auditorium. Freeman encouraged students and adults, alike, to make the right choice to … [Read more...]

ALEXANDRIA (LBM)--During a pivotal year that will see a ballot initiative in the fall that offers a constitutional amendment to protect our pro-life laws from being overturned, Louisianans gathered on multiple weekends in January and February around the state to declare their love for life and to offer support for the Love Life Amendment. According to information provided by Louisiana Right to Life, a crowd of 2,500 gathered in Shreveport Jan. 19; 500 in Lake Charles Jan. 22; 1,500 marched in Baton Rouge Jan. 25; 2,500 participated in Monroe/West Monroe Jan. 26; and 4,000 rallied in Alexandria/Pineville Feb. 1. At each event, all under the theme of “Louisiana Loves Life,” participants held a large “Louisiana Life March” banner to lead the procession. Others held up signs proclaiming “Life Matters” while some displayed signs urging pro-lifers to “End Abortion Now.” PIVOTAL YEAR All five marches come at a time when Louisiana voters will have the chance to pass the “Love Life Amendment,” slated to be on the statewide ballot Nov. 3. This proposed constitutional amendment reads “To protect human life, nothing in this constitution shall be construed to secure or protect a right to abortion or require the funding of … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BOSSIER CITY, La. (LBM)--Nearly 350 members of the Northwest Louisiana Baptist Association’s 118 churches came together to cry out to God to bring revival during the local fellowship’s fifth annual “Call to Prayer.” Hosted by Bellaire Baptist Church in Bossier City, the Jan. 26 gathering brought together Christians of various ages and ethnicities to pray for law enforcement, educators, missionaries serving around the world, pastors and other church leaders, and the persecuted church. Just like previous gatherings at First Baptist Church, Bossier City, Summer Grove Baptist Church, Shreveport, Cypress Baptist Church, Benton, and Broadmoor Baptist Church, Shreveport, this event was marked by prayer from the worship center stage, in small groups around the room and by individuals who pleaded with God for revival in their community, state and nation. “The time when pastors pray for each other is always special,” NLBA Associational Mission Strategist Lane Moore told the Baptist Message. “These men come from different cultures, different worship styles and different preaching styles, but when we pray for each other’s ministry it pulls them together.” SEEK REPENTANCE AND … [Read more...]

By Message Staff SIMPSON (LBM) – Simpson Baptist Church held a groundbreaking ceremony, Feb. 2, to celebrate the beginning of construction on a new multi-purpose facility that will serve future generations. Interim Pastor John Hebert, who also is Louisiana Baptists missions and ministry team director, told the Baptist Message that the new facility will ensure the church has adequate space to meet the needs of a growing congregation. Since Hebert became pastor in 2018, Sunday morning worship attendance has increased from 60 to 120. “The new building will put the church in a great position to grow even more and equip them to expand their Gospel reach into the community,” Hebert said. “We are praying that Louisiana Baptists will join us in helping build for their future.” Once complete, the 11,100-square-foot facility will include worship space to accommodate 224 people and education space. Under the direction of Mike Shumock, who serves as Louisiana Baptist missions builder strategist, a Baptist Builders construction team will begin work on the proposed building in February with the opening planned for the fall. To learn more about volunteering with the Baptist Builders on the project, call 225.975.0848. … [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 Ken Gordon is the new pastor at Beulah Baptist Church, Cheneyville. Seth (wife Joy) Whorton is the new music minister at Cypress Baptist Church, Benton. Shelby Thomas is the new youth pastor at Bethel Baptist, Carthage, Texas from Bethany Baptist, Bethany. Brent Shoalmire is the new pastor at First Baptist Church, Eunice from Red River Baptist Church, Benton. Matt Duff resigns as worship pastor at First Baptist Church, Vidalia. Phil Smith is the new music minister at Bethel Baptist Church, Bastrop. Zack Bennett is the new pastor at Evans Creek, Pearl River HOMECOMING First Baptist Church, Shreveport: 175th Anniversary, February 23, Speaker: Joel Gregory. Activities will include a banquet Friday evening, mission projects on Saturday morning, and a worship service Sunday morning. For … [Read more...]

By Louisiana College Sports Information PINEVILLE, La. – What is old is new again for Andrew Maddox, as the Louisiana College alum and former Wildcat football player and defensive coordinator has returned to his old stomping grounds, named the sixth head coach of the LC football team in the modern era on Tuesday. "My family and I are glad to be coming back to Pineville, a place we consider home," said new Louisiana College head football coach Andrew Maddox. "We enjoyed our time here the first time. It's exciting for us to see many familiar faces, but now we're ready to get started working and get this program the best we can get it and heading in the right direction." President of Louisiana College Rick Brewer said, "At the top of my list of qualifications for our new head coach was that we sought a man of character and integrity, and Coach Maddox is all that and more. The successful candidate will be humble, hungry, and smart," Brewer added while acknowledging Maddox's attributes, saying he has the #AndThenSome traits that will bring success to the Wildcats football program. I have every confidence that Coach Maddox will develop the student-athletes under his supervision athletically, academically, and … [Read more...]

By Gary D. Myers and Marilyn Stewart NEW ORLEANS, La. - The inauguration of Jamie Dew, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Leavell College, reflected the tone that is the mark of Dew’s new presidency—humility and service like Jesus. Since Dew’s election on June 5, 2019, his challenge to the seminary family, and all who would join him, is to take up the towel and the basin and follow Jesus’ example of serving others. Dew opened his inaugural address by reading from 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 – a passage that describes how God uses the common and humble things of this world to accomplish His purposes. Glory, the passage says, is reserved for God and God alone. “I am humbled to say the least. I feel the weight of this moment unlike any other moment I’ve ever felt in my entire life. I am humbled by the trust that has been placed in me and the love you have expressed to my family and to me,” Dew said. Despite the historic nature of the inauguration, Dew directed listeners’ focus to the mission rather than to himself. He called those gathered to ponder the brokenness of the world and their roles in proclaiming the name of Jesus throughout the nations. Dew thought of the thousands of hurting people in … [Read more...]