By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer SHREVEPORT – More than 150 members of Grawood Baptist Church gathered after Sunday morning worship, May 19, to build 60 beds for needy children in the Shreveport-Bossier City area. Some assembled the beds while others served food or watched the children of members constructing the beds in less than three hours for the Bossier Parish chapter of the non-profit organization Sleep In Heavenly Peace. According to its website, Sleep in Heavenly Peace was founded in 2012 and its motto is “No kid sleeps on the floor in our town.” Volunteers built 4,144 beds last year for children across the U.S. Grawood Pastor Chris Willcutt said was he thrilled to see his members display a spirit of oneness to reach the Kingdom. “From a pastor’s heart that makes me excited,” Willcutt said. “The greatest commandment of all is to love God and love others. Over the years as leadership we tried to pour out to our congregation that we need to love others. What they do for each other tends to trickle out to the community for others. I am seeing that going out into the community.” Members raised nearly $20,000 to build the beds. The largest fundraiser was through a gun raffle and clay shoot that was … [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 Breanna Allen is the news children’s director at First Baptist Church, Vivian. Jason Shawley is the new senior pastor at Angie Baptist Church, Angie. His first Sunday was May 5. Matt (wife Sarah) Tyson is the new Executive pastor/business administrator at Summer Grove Baptist Church, Shreveport. HOMECOMING Hebron Baptist Church, Summerfield: 171st Annual Homecoming Celebration, August 4, 10 a.m. There will be dinner on the grounds after the worship service. Guest Speaker: Randy Brown. There will also be special music. First Baptist Church, Greensburg: 153rd Homecoming Celebration, August 11, 9:15 a.m. (Sunday school); 10:30 a.m. (Worship). Dinner on the grounds will follow the worship service. Speaker: Joey Bennett. Worship Leader: Ivy Butler. Pianist: Ann Butler. If you have any questions or … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, LC News by Norm Miller   PINEVILLE, La. (LCNews)-- Louisiana College President Dr. Rick Brewer signed a memorandum of understanding for academic partnership with Liverpool Hope University in Liverpool, UK. After four days of meetings with more than 20 academic leaders at the 175-year-old institution, Brewer and LHU’s Vice Chancellor Dr. Gerald Pillay signed the covenantal document in Pillay’s office July 18. “As a faith-based institution, Liverpool Hope University is an international standard-bearer for the integration of faith and learning,” Brewer said. “I anticipate a long and fruitful relationship with this institution, which shares our academic convictions and worldview.” Pillay said Louisiana College “shares the same values and academic educational philosophy of our university. It was a joy to meet President Brewer and to build bridges between us.” He also noted “the splendid work at Louisiana College” and his desire to “find ways to collaborate between Louisiana and Liverpool. We look to the future with much anticipation.” Brewer met with the leaders of several academic disciplines while exploring avenues of cooperation and academic exchange. “Everyone expressed genuine interest in … [Read more...]

By Message Staff ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) -- Louisiana Baptists have continued to aid churches who reported facility failures after the sporadic damage throughout the state caused by Tropical Storm Barry. According to Joe Arnold, director of missions for Bayou Baptist Association, a disaster relief team from Eastern Louisiana and Washington Baptist Associations has made temporary roof repairs to the main building of Mechanicville Emmanuel Baptist Church “We are thankful that it was not any worse than it was,” Arnold told the Baptist Message. “For the churches that had damage, first pray for them as they clean up. Second, if you have a construction crew available, we can plug them in with a church. Give me a call and we can make arrangements.” Four Bayou Baptist Association churches also likely will need assistance: -          Crosspoint Church, Cut Off: roof and ceiling repairs; -          Grace Community Fellowship, Chauvin: steeple replacement; -          Live Oak Baptist Church, Montegut: remove and replace sheet rock in the education building; and, -          Schriever Baptist Church: repair roof, ceiling and walls. Gibbie McMillan said the Louisiana Baptist Convention is working through the association … [Read more...]

By Philip Timothy, Message Managing Editor ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) -- Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms, remnants of Barry, continued to sweep across southern portions of Louisiana, July 15, with the National Weather Service in Lake Charles issuing flash flood warnings for nine parishes. The cautions affect northwestern Acadia Parish, Allen Parish, Avoyelles Parish, Beauregard Parish, central Calcasieu Parish, Evangeline Parish, northern Jefferson Davis Parish, southeastern Rapides Parish and northern St. Landry parish. Oakdale and Oberlin in Allen Parish have both received the largest accumulations of water and are facing serious flooding, NWS noted. Radar and gauge measurements indicate some areas in the parish have received nearly 17 inches of rain with widespread totals of 6 to 12 inches of rain since Sunday evening. AVOYELLES PARISH “Moreauville has some really serious flooding right now, which is affecting a lot of people,” said Jacob Crawford, director of missions for the Louisiana Baptist Association, the oldest local association in the state. “It is a miracle there has not been more flooding than what there is right now.” Crawford also reported that the mission center in Simmesport had some minor flooding … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) -- The devastation from Hurricane Barry was far less than anticipated based on forecasts leading into the weekend, but for those who sustained damage this news does not lessen the impact on them. Several Louisiana Baptist churches reported that facilities suffered from floodwaters and winds as the result of Barry trekking through the state as a tropical storm and now a tropical depression. In places the storm dumped more than 20 inches of rain and produced sustained winds of 75 mph, with even higher gusts. With regard to Louisiana Baptist churches, Gibbie McMillan told the Baptist Message that he had received reports from three congregations, so far: -- Mechanicville Emmanuel Baptist Church in Houma lost portions of its roof, windows were broken, cemetery fencing was lost and a gazebo damaged. -- Immanuel Baptist Church in Morgan City experienced roof and siding damage, and multiple fallen trees. -- First Baptist Church in Franklin lost siding and had begun removing tree limbs downed by winds. Pastor Chris Jeffus reported to the Baptist Message that high winds damaged the roof and steeple of his congregation, the Trinity Baptist Church in New … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer MONTGOMERY, La. (LBM) -- Verda Baptist Church had struggled to reach the next generation before Braden Martin arrived as pastor in November 2017. He led them to pray first, and in 2018 the congregation of 80 felt led to start an AWANA club (evangelism and discipleship for children) that has drawn nearly 50 kids every Wednesday evening, since inception, and also sparked a revival within the body of members. “When I got here, Verda had virtually no youth or kids program outside of Vacation Bible School, which was shocking since we are within steps of the school and have numerous school board employees, including the previous and new Grant Parish superintendent,” Martin told the Baptist Message. “What once was Wednesday night prayer meetings consisting of me, my wife, our baby girl and a handful of others has turned into an average of 47 kids and 18-20 members who help out every Wednesday night while a few of us gather in the sanctuary for prayer. “Having this many members each week come in and get to work is just amazing to see,” he continued. “We are all so busy, we all work hard during the week, sometimes we are just burned out and still they come. That’s the rise or fall of any … [Read more...]

PINEVILLE (LBM) – Louisiana College will welcome more than 800 fourth through sixth graders, Aug. 24, for a day of games, worship and Gospel opportunities at PreTeen Invasion. The annual evangelism conference for this age group will feature messages by Keith Badgett, children’s pastor at the First Baptist Church in Jenks, Oklahoma, and music by The Crowe Brothers from Franklinton. This year’s theme is “GO,” based on Matthew 28:19. David Anderson, children’s ministry strategist for Louisiana Baptists, told the Baptist Message that PreTeen Invasion has become the “go-to event” to celebrate the start of another school year. “This is the 9th year for PreTeen Invasion and it is always a great day,” Anderson said. “We see young people from across our state make decisions for Christ and others go away challenged to take the Gospel to their neighborhoods. This year we will be very intentional about what it means to go. This has become a great way to kick off an amazing year in preteen ministry in our local churches.” Registration is underway: The $35 per person fee includes a t-shirt if postmarked by July 19, but not after this date. Check-in will begin at 8 a.m., with the event starting at 9 a.m. and ending at 3 p.m. More … [Read more...]