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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

RA Congress nets 10 more ambassadors for Christ

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...]

Three days, thirty changed lives at Hineston Crusade

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer HINESTON – Prayer proved to be the catalyst for a powerful movement of the Holy Spirit during a crusade at the Hineston rodeo arena, the key organizer shared with the Baptist Message. Over the three-day period, April 10-12, 30 people made spiritual decisions, including six who made first-time public professions of faith in Jesus and another 24 who restored fellowship with the Lord through repentance. The harvest resulted from prayerful planning and preparation by many for the Hineston Crusade, said Brandon Smith, also pastor of Dixie Baptist Church in Sieper. Glenn Price, worship minister for the Philadelphia Baptist Church, Deville, accompanied by his praise team members, led music and evangelist Bill Britt brought the message each night. “You could sense the Holy Spirit moving all through the arena,” Smith offered. “It gave me goose bumps. “It was a special moment when I looked into the eyes of those who finally came to the realization they are lost or needed to restore their lives with Christ,” he continued. “The youth, especially, had this glow on their faces when they came forward to declare their decisions for Jesus. I’m praying they continue with that same excitement and … [Read more...]

Friends, family celebrate Hankins’s LBC, SBC leadership

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...]

Louisiana Notables

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...]

Easter Reflections – Day 33

As Easter approaches, the Baptist Message team invites you to pause daily from the hustle and bustle of life to focus on the days leading up to Easter or Resurrection Sunday. Join us in this challenge to read through the Gospels to get a greater understanding of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection. Day 33: John 19-21 (NKJV) ========================= (John 19) The Soldiers Mock Jesus So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. 2 And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. 3 Then they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their hands. 4 Pilate then went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.” Pilate’s Decision 5 Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!” 6 Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him.” 7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to [b]our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.” 8 Therefore, … [Read more...]

Easter Reflections – Day 32

As Easter approaches, the Baptist Message team invites you to pause daily from the hustle and bustle of life to focus on the days leading up to Easter or Resurrection Sunday. Join us in this challenge to read through the Gospels to get a greater understanding of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection. Day 32: John 16-18 (NKJV) ========================= (John 16) Jesus Warns and Comforts His Disciples 16 “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. 3 And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. 4 But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. “And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you. The Work of the Holy Spirit 5 “But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you,sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I … [Read more...]

Easter Reflections – Day 31

As Easter approaches, the Baptist Message team invites you to pause daily from the hustle and bustle of life to focus on the days leading up to Easter or Resurrection Sunday. Join us in this challenge to read through the Gospels to get a greater understanding of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection. Day 31: John 13-15 (NKJV) ========================= (John 13) Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. 2 And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand … [Read more...]

State churches urged to apply for DHS grants

By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA (LBM) – The Department of Homeland Security has issued a Notice of Funding Opportunity relating to the 2019 Nonprofit Secu­rity Grant Program which offers funds to upgrade the security of facilities as pro­tection against threats of violence due to “ideology, beliefs or mission. Churches and religious schools have about two weeks to submit grant requests to the Louisi­ana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness. If nonprofits are unable to meet the tight deadline for 2019, they should sub­mit requests this year in order to be considered for the 2020 program. The U.S. Congress pro­vided $60 million for the FY19 program, which also covers synagogues and mosques, and Louisiana is expected to receive about $200,000 to $300,000 of that allocation. Last year, the state approved four grant requests. IMPORTANT: The church is making the request to FEMA, but the state will submit the actual application based on the information the church provides (if the state ap­proves the request). Based on the process used in previous years: The first step is to apply for a Data Univer­sal Numbering System (DUNS) number. The church also must complete a … [Read more...]

Governor’s Prayer Breakfast centers capital on Christ

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BATON ROUGE (LBM) -- For more than an hour, clergy, community leaders and public officials prayed for Gov. John Bel Edwards, the military, law enforcement, first responders and the state, April 10, at the Raising Canes Center in Baton Rouge, unit­ing more than 1,000 legisla­tors, pastors, businessmen and others as the body of Christ just days after the start of the 2019 state legislative session. Ray Swift, administrative pastor at the First Baptist Church in Lafayette, delivered an invocation and Charles Harper, steering committee chairman, introduced the head table of program per­sonalities and other special guests. State Rep. Katrina Jackson, Assistant District Attorney Ken Fabre, state Sen. Sharon Hewitt, Ascension Parish Sheriff Deputy and Chap­lain Ken Spivey, state Rep. Thomas Carmody, Jr., and steering committee member Phillip Juban were among others offering prayers and reading scripture during the annual the Governor’s Prayer Breakfast. Keynote speaker Ken Boa, president of Reflections Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia, reminded the crowd to live out God’s purpose for them. “His desire for you and me is that we will live a life that will so reflect a life of Christ in … [Read more...]

Louisiana readies for National Day of Prayer

ALEXANDRIA (LBM) - Louisiana Baptists will gather at churches and other venues throughout the state, May 2, with the single purpose of calling out to God as part of the annual National Day of Prayer. Jay Johnston, coordinator for the Louisiana National Day of Prayer Task Force, believes prayer is near to the heart of God. “Prayer unifies our hearts and lives and is used by God to change us not change Him nor our circumstances,” said Jay Johnston, associate pastor of the First Baptist Church in Covington. “I hope you will take time in your home or your church, neighborhood, school, city hall or at the state Capitol to pray on Thursday, May 2, 2019.” ­This year’s National Day of Prayer theme is “Love One Another,” based on John 13:34 – “Love one another, just as I have loved you.” Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee President Ronnie Floyd is national chairman of what the National Day of Prayer Task Force describes as a “grass roots movement” in which local churches or communities plan how, when and where they want to pray, and the specific content of those prayers. … [Read more...]