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...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer WOODWORTH – A movement of the Holy Spirit during the recent Royal Ambassador Congress prompted 10 young men to commit their lives to Jesus, said Mike Collie. The RA consultant added that the decisions resulted from seeds being intentionally planted, cultivated and harvested throughout the weekend. “Oh what a joy it is to see God working in the hearts and lives of these young boys … to know these 10 young men had the courage to step out and overcome all obstacles to surrender their hearts to Christ,” Collie shared. Held March 29-30 at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center in Woodworth, RA Congress drew 202 students and adult leaders from 14 churches. The two-day conference featured American Ninja Warrior contestant Jared Greer, who used a portable obstacle course to present the Gospel. The event also included missionaries who shared about the dangers of substance abuse. Additionally, the young men had opportunities to make a gun out of pipes and participate in the Pinewood Derby and Soap Box car races as part of the “Mind and Body” theme, based on 1 Corinthians 9:24. In his presentation, Greer shared with the boys strategies to over-come obstacles. When he first … [Read more...]

By Message Staff WOODWORTH – Family and friends from around the nation paid tribute to outgoing Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Director David Hankins during a special retirement banquet, Thursday, April 11. GRATEFUL GOODBYES “Our hearts are full of gratitude, gratitude to God for the blessings of this life,” Hankins told the crowd gathered at the Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center in Woodworth. “I would be the most ungrateful person on the earth to have one complaint or one gripe about what has happened in my existence. God is so good - a great expression of that is you all. “From the first to the last, I know it’s been good for us, every bit of it,” he continued. “I’d do it all over again. I trust it’s been good for the people we work with, our staff and our friends.” Hankins, who officially retires June 30 from a post he has held since 2005, previously served a pair of Texas Baptist churches from 1971-85 before becoming pastor of the Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles in 1985. Upon leaving Trinity in 1996, Hankins became vice president for convention policy with the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee, and was named vice president for the Cooperative Program in 1998 to expand … [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 James H. Miller retired April 14 as pastor of the First Baptist Church, Spears­ville. John Elliott will retire April 28 from Emmanuel Baptist Church, Natchitoches. David Correira has resigned as pastor of Eastside Baptist Church, Ponchatoula. HOMECOMING Old Union Baptist Church, Benson: 160th Anniversary/Homecoming, May 5, 11 a.m. Evangelist: Lyndon Long­oria. A covered dish luncheon will follow with the Southern Plainsmen providing special music. Pastor: Alton Middleton. REVIVAL Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Ferriday: Associational Evangelism Rally, April 28, 5:30 p.m. Speaker: Philip Robert­son. Worship: Sanctuary Quartet. DOM: Mickey Hudnell. Bethel Baptist Church, Bastrop: Spring revival, April 28-May 1, Sunday, 6 p.m. Monday-Wednesday, 7 p.m. Evangelist: Rubin Weaver. Pastor: Tim … [Read more...]