By Message Staff RUSTON – Hunter Burkhardt has ministered to hundreds as a staff member of Rolling Hills Ministries, but a tornado that severely damaged his home in Ruston Thursday, April 25, left him on the receiving end of much needed assistance. Burkhardt, who serves as human resources manager, arrived at the home of Rolling Hills Ministries Director David Abernathy 15 minutes before the tornado touched down in his neighborhood shortly after midnight Thursday. Once the storm had passed, Burkhardt ventured back into his neighborhood to find numerous downed trees and power lines as well as homes, including his own, badly damaged or destroyed. By early Friday morning, a Disaster Relief team from First Baptist Church in Blanchard and individuals from Grand Cane Baptist Church arrived to remove debris, including two trees that went through his home. Others from the Rolling Hills Disaster Relief Team and residents of Ruston finished removing debris late Friday. Burkhardt said he has appreciated the support and love the community has shown to himself and others since the EF3 tornado devastated homes and businesses. “The response has been phenomenal,” he said. “I’ve seen this community come together and organize at a … [Read more...]

By Message Staff RUSTON (LBM) -- A day after a devastating EF3 tornado significantly damaged homes and businesses in Ruston, an army of volunteers has rapidly descended on the Northeast Louisiana town in amazing show of support and assistance. Thirty Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers were on the ground Friday, April 26, to help with clean-up efforts. Ten additional volunteers are cooking food and organizing disaster relief donations for distribution to first responders, volunteers and individuals impacted by the storm. More than 1,500 meals have been prepared since Thursday. The Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers were assisted by volunteers from the Cajun Navy, National Guard, Louisiana Tech athletic department and  students from Louisiana Tech, Northwestern State University, and Grambling State University, the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana and numerous churches and high schools. John Hebert, missions and ministries director for Louisiana Baptists, said he has been amazed by the level of support and comradery between Louisianans. “Our disaster relief system is working and we have crews coming from Lake Charles, Bogalusa, north Louisiana and east Texas,” Hebert said. “To compliment the … [Read more...]

By Message Staff CONVERSE – Dawn Asbell is grateful for God’s protection after several trees just missed falling onto the parsonage at San Patricio Baptist Church in Converse Thursday, April 25. Asbell’s husband, Danny, serves as pastor of the church but was out of town at the time of the incident, leaving her and son, Noah, alone. They were in the hallway shortly after midnight when they suddenly felt the house shaking. Immediately, Noah began to pray, and moments later a pine and oak tree slammed onto the ground one foot from the home. “God was definitely with us last night,” Dawn said. “I normally don’t get scared, but last night felt different. Noah was a rock; he was more calm than me. He said ‘Mama let’s pray.’ So we did.” Asbell, who is still shaken by her brush with death, is grateful to be alive and thankful the church escaped major damage. The damage to the church was limited to a broken window. “When things like this happen, you remember what is important,” Dawn said. “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” Converse is in Sabine Parish and 50 miles northeast of San Augustine, Texas, where an EF2 tornado touched down Thursday. The National Weather Service also reported tornadoes in Ruston and Mooringsport. … [Read more...]

By Message Staff RUSTON – Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards, during a press conference in Ruston Thursday, April 25, praised the faith-based community and Louisiana residents for their response in the wake of a tornado that caused significant damage and loss of life in parts of the state. “What we’ve seen up to now in the Ruston area and really all across the state of Louisiana has been Louisianans stepping up and doing what they do best and that is being neighbor to one another,” Edwards said. “Especially the faith based community has been tremendous, the number of groups that are here cooking for first responders and for those whose homes have been damaged.” Edwards arrived in Ruston Thursday afternoon after surveying the damage from the air with Louisiana Tech University President Les Guice, Lincoln Mayor Ronny Walker and Lincoln Parish Sheriff Mike Stone. He described the damage as “more remarkable than it is from the ground. And the damage is extensive.” He urged residents to avoid travel throughout Lincoln Parish and allow emergency officials to assess damage. A curfew is in place from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. in Ruston. He shared the White House, the state’s entire congressional delegation and the Federal Emergency … [Read more...]

By Message Staff RUSTON – A PayPal account has been established to assist in efforts to clean up the chapel at the Louisiana Tech University Baptist Collegiate Ministry, which was damaged after a tornado touched down in Ruston Thursday, April 25. Three oak trees fell on the roof of the building early Thursday. No students were injured at the time of the incident. “There’s a lot of damage in and around our building and the cleanup starts TODAY!” the BCM posted on Facebook. “If you’d like to be a part of the cleanup efforts by giving, here is a link to our BCM PayPal! We will keep you posted on other ways to give & help as the process continues! Thank you for your prayers and any forms of assistance during this time!” Hours after the storm passed through Ruston, students from the Louisiana Tech BCM helped clear the trees and other debris from the building. Louisiana Baptists State BCM Director Mark Robinson was excited to see students respond so quickly to help their BCM in its time of need. Northwestern State BCM Director Bill Collins showed up to assist the students in the clean up efforts. “A reinforcement for your hope in the next generation is playing out today on the Louisiana Tech campus at the BCM,” … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer THIBODAUX (LBM) - The 33 churches of Bayou Baptist Association united around a call to share the Gospel with their respective communities, and 12 people turned to Christ during an area-wide evangelistic outreach. Attendance averaged 150 each session of the ‘Churches United’ Crusade, March 28-30, at three separate locations, nightly, records show. The harvest of souls included 11 acts of repentance for salvation during the first night at Cut Off Youth Center and another the final evening at Peltier Auditorium on the Nicholls State University campus in Thibodaux, officials shared. No one repented for salvation or restoration during the second night of the crusade at South Terrebonne High School in Bourg, but many cried out to God for personal revival, said J.P Cox, the crusade director. The crusade included powerful messages by Preston Nix, an evangelism professor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, and Duane and Iris Blue, Mission Service Corps volunteers with the North American Mission Board, said Cox, pastor of the University Baptist Church in Thibodaux, adding that special music was presented by a multi- denominational praise team. “The Spirit moved mightily in … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer DEQUINCY – Revival has come to New Hope Baptist Church in Dequincy and all signs point to the spiritual renewal continuing for the foresee-able future. Since February, 22 people have professed faith in Christ, with 16 coming forward during the revival, March 24-27. Many have been baptized already. Pastor Roland Hebert said a mighty move of the Holy Spirit has been an unexpected blessing. “It thrills me,” he said. “That’s what preachers live for. I can’t tell you anything we did to cause it to happen. It was a God thing. God opened the doors of Heaven and poured out a blessing.” During recent revival services, the worship center was filled to capacity each evening. A men’s wild game supper in the family life center the day before the revival was a catalyst for 12 people turning to Christ. Four more people repented during the nightly services and committed to live for Christ, and another person surrendered to the ministry. Evangelist Sam Moore, who shared the Gospel each evening, said the church embraced the effort. “The Gospel was preached with a lot of hunting illustrations, and a Gospel invitation given after each message,” Moore said. “The Spirit moved and 12 men … [Read more...]