By Will Hall, Executive Editor ALEXANDRIA (LBM) – Like many churches in Louisiana, Alto Baptist Church held a special celebration of “God & country” on June 30 ahead of the July 4th holiday. But unlike other congregations, this small country church hosted one of the most prominent politicians in the state, with U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham highlighting the service. Pastor Alan Miller told the Baptist Message that the special service was a way to thank God for blessing this nation and to honor veterans as well as men and women who continue to serve in the military and law enforcement. “Doc shared that courage is necessary to life's journey of service to God and country, and illustrated this biblical truth with the lives and leadership lessons of George Washington and Old Testament hero Joshua,” Miller described. “Dianne sang beautifully, ‘Heal Our Land,’ from 2 Chronicles 7:14.” Miller said his congregation has a special advantage in terms of access to the Abrahams. “They are more than members or attenders,” Miller said. “They have their own pew where they have worshipped and served as a family for 43 years.” Both have spent their lives from childhood with the congregation, and her mother, Nancy Johnston, has … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – Deep in the heart of New Orleans’ most impoverished neighborhoods, the missionaries and staff of Baptist Community Health Services treat not only the body but also the souls of the more than 10,000 people who pass through the medical ministry’s doors each year. With a mission of “demonstrating the love of Christ by providing high quality primary medical and behavioral healthcare in underserved communities” BCHS provides needed services while sharing the love of Christ, according to CEO Shawn Powers. BCHS operates four medical clinics in New Orleans, and is the only known federally qualified health center connected to a Southern Baptist local association of churches, he said. The New Orleans Baptist Association, with the help of the Baptist Community Ministries (a foundation set up with proceeds from the 1995 sale of the Southern Baptist Hospital in New Orleans) and Southern Baptists’ North American Mission Board, launched the medical ministry in 2014. “We are thankful for the many partners, including BCM, NAMB and NOBA, who invested in the vision of what is today a thriving Christ-exalting healthcare mission,” Powers told the Baptist Message. “We pray our … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – On the final night of Vacation Bible School at Lakeside Baptist Church, Pineville, Pastor Lloyd Bye “watered” what had been spiritually planted, baptizing three young boys in a horse trough, May 31. “Each year we have made announcements on Family Night about how many accepted Christ, but some parents do not get to witness a baptism because they are not active in church,” Bye told the Baptist Message. “This time parents got to see the harvest we reaped from the seeds that were planted, and it made it special for the boys that their parents were witnesses.” Daniel Edwards actually was “harvested” during a recent VBS by a sister Louisiana Baptist congregation. “I accepted Christ at Faith Baptist Church in Tioga,” Edwards said. “But my Granny asked if I wanted to get baptized here since I have spent so many summers at Lakeside.” He added that it was “special” because both churches are part of his spiritual life. The Family Night worship service capped a fruitful week for Lakeside Baptist. Eleven children out of 46 who attended had repented for salvation by the end of VBS. VBS AND MORE VBS is one of several evangelistic outreaches for the congregation, … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PORT BARRE (LBM) – Nearly 150 volunteers from Texas have spent a portion of their summer helping the First Baptist Church in Port Barre to expand its Gospel reach into the community through the construction of a worship center that will accommodate a growing membership. Under the direction of Mike Shumock, who serves as missions builder strategist for Louisiana Baptists and is the coordinator for Baptist Builders, a construction missions group, three teams from Texas are working with Louisiana Baptists to frame, install sheetrock, wire and plumbing inside the 20,000-square-foot facility. Once completed, the structure will house a worship center (with future seating for up to 600), youth room, reception area, nursery and coffee bar as well as restrooms and an education space with nine classrooms. Groundbreaking was held in early January and the new facility is expected to open by Christmas. “It’s been an amazing experience for us,” Pastor Benji Richard told the Baptist Message. “We have heard about groups coming to build other churches, but there is nothing like a first-hand experience. They don’t make it about just building a building but make it about Kingdom work. They have … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Executive Editor BETH MOORE: SBC is misogynistic LifeWay’s top seller of books and Bible studies sparked a social media battle when she announced she would be preaching on Mother’s Day at a large church. A number of Southern Baptist Convention theologians weighed in and Beth Moore fired back, unleashing her discontent even with evangelicals’ support of Donald J. Trump during the 2016 presidential election. One of the first critics to comment was Owen Strachan, associate professor of Christian theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri. Strachan blogged, May 7, that it was against God’s Word and design for “a woman to teach and preach to adult men.” Calling it a “sinful practice,” he added that “to do so is to bring the church body into disobedience against God.” Moore tweeted May 11 that she was “compelled to my bones by the Holy Spirit … to draw attention to the sexism and misogyny that is rampant in segments of the SBC, cloaked by piety and bearing the stench of hypocrisy. ...” and appeared to peg her distress to several high-profile SBC pastors who supported then-candidate Trump. “I had the eye opening experience of my life in 2016. A fog cleared for … [Read more...]