By Gary D. Myers, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS -- New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary trustees named Chuck Kelley as chancellor of the school through July 31, 2019, and approved the accelerated M.Div. program during their fall meeting Oct. 3. Kelley announced his plans to retire from the school on July 31, 2019, during the Oct. 2 Founders' Day chapel service. As a result, much of the board's work at the fall meeting centered on helping Kelley finish his presidential tenure and beginning the search for the next president. Naming Kelley chancellor was a required step in the initiation of the presidential search process. The bylaws state that the office of president must be vacant before the trustees can initiate the search. The role of chancellor clearly indicates the seminary will continue normal operations under Kelley's leadership while the trustees seek the next leader. Kelley expressed a strong desire to see a successor elected by the beginning of the 2019-2020 academic year. This move makes this goal a possibility. "The combination of a strong, healthy board, a planned transition, and a clear process is a great blessing for our seminary," Kelley said. "We were able to work through all the issues and … [Read more...]

By Message Staff   CALHOUN – Revival has come to the First Baptist Church of Calhoun, after members began planning a lay renewal weekend October 12-14. “Renewal first involves repentance,” said Pastor Neil Everett. “God has been convicting us of sin in our lives that we need to get right with him. As people have confessed and repented and gotten right with the Lord, we have seen an increase of power of Holy Spirit moving in our midst.” Since July, a team of lay people within the church has met with the church staff to plan the weekend whose goal is to help Christ followers grow spiritually. Once First Calhoun formed its team leaders, they recruited many individuals who previously did not hold leadership roles in the church. Subsequently, those volunteers are now more enthusiastic about involvement in future ministry opportunities. Early on, the planning meetings became more than just discussing preparations for the weekend. Team members began sharing testimonies and praying together which led to personal spiritual renewal even though the weekend has not arrived. Above all, prayer has been at the forefront for change within the members. The church, which averages 250-300 for its Sunday morning worship, … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer SIMSBORO (LBM) – The sounds of hammers pounding and electric saws buzzing were music to the ears of Pastor Jason Cole as he surveyed members of the First Baptist Church in Simsboro tirelessly refurbishing a home in their community. Some installed shingles on a roof while others painted the siding and the porch on a home they have been remodeling for nearly four months. The members are there to renovate the house, he offered, but also to build a Christ-centered relationship with the homeowners through project Mission Simsboro. “We do this because we want people to see doing missions is not just foreign, national or state,” Cole said. “It’s local and all of the above. “We want people to be involved in missions as much as possible and have a chance to tell the good news of Jesus with those around us and encourage believers that we run into,” he emphasized to the Baptist Message. Since 2013, as many as 40 members from among the 90 persons who attend Sunday morning worship services have participated in various acts of kindness every fourth Sunday through Mission Simsboro, Cole said. They have hosted backyard Bible clubs, visited prospects and prayer walked neighborhoods, all of … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – Baptism for several years seemed like it would remain just a dream for Belarusian teen Anna Atrohkina. Although Atrohkina accepted Jesus as Savior in 2015, she had not been able to attend the annual baptism services at her church in Mogilev, Belarus in either 2016 or 2017. The church does not have a baptistery and, because of extreme weather conditions in the winter, only baptizes once a year in a nearby river. So when the opportunity was presented August 5 at Calvary Baptist Church in Alexandria, she jumped at the chance to be baptized. Surrounded by a few friends and several hundred others inside the worship center, Atrohkina stepped into the water for her long-awaited moment. “In my understanding, baptism for me is immersion in the death of Jesus Christ and renewal to a new life,” Atrohkina said in an e-mail to the Baptist Message. “The past is behind. Jesus gave me the chance to write a new book of my life.” Wayne Taylor, who is executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Foundation, and his wife, Joanna, served as the host home during her Louisiana visit. They both beamed with excitement as Atrohkina stepped into the baptistery. “While in … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer JENA (LBM)--The Jena High School football and men’s basketball teams scored a win of a different kind when 38 players, combined, came forward to humble their hearts before Christ during the Tomorrow’s Hope GO TELL Crusade in late September. Nine football players declared Jesus as Lord of their lives, and 24 football and five basketball players repented to restore fellowship with Christ at Jena High’s gymnasium. Among those was Cameron Jackson, a junior cornerback and wide receiver who turned to Christ during the opening night of the crusade. “Though I was nervous, I knew this was what God wanted me to do,” said Jackson, whose father, Anthony, is principal of Jena High. “Now I’m excited about praying and reading my Bible, and I hope to influence others on my team and at school for Christ.” Jackson said his newfound faith helped him persevere through the aftermath of an injury sustained during a game against Alexandria Senior High the following Friday evening. He expects to recover from the injury before the state playoffs begin in November. Terry Townsend, youth and recreation minister at the First Baptist Church in Jena, said he was overcome with emotion as he watched many … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer WOODWORTH – Louisiana Baptist state missions staff updated Executive Board members on progress made to reach the next generation with the Gospel by 2020. “It’s axiomatic that if you do not reach the next generation that you won’t have another generation of the church,” Louisiana Baptists Executive Director David Hankins said during the September 25 Executive Board meeting at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center in Woodworth. “We know the Lord has promised that won’t happen because the gates of death will never be strong against the church on the earth. There will always be another church. But we have a duty to give ourselves to that.” The next generation is one of two groups identified as a target audience in the President’s 2020 Commission Report. Adopted by messengers at the 2013 Louisiana Baptist Convention annual meeting, the 2020 initiative seeks to reach every generation and every people group in Louisiana with the Gospel by the year 2020 through the avenues of congregational revitalization, church planting, communications and collaboration. “We are asking God to give us favor as we concentrate on this last facet in these last months of the 2020 effort to do some things … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer WOODWORTH – Louisiana Baptists will be operating in 2019 with a leaner Cooperative Program budget. During a September 25 meeting at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center in Woodworth, the Executive Board approved the Business and Finance Committee’s 2019 financial plan based on Cooperative Program contributions of $18,813,818, a decrease of $693,587. Cooperative Program projections are based on actual receipts from August 2017 through July 2018. The allocation formula for distributing Cooperative Program gifts between the Southern Baptist Convention and Louisiana Baptist causes remains unchanged, with 63.26 percent supporting ministries in the state and 36.74 percent forwarded to fund national entities. This equates to $11,901,622 in Cooperative Program funds for Louisiana Baptist missions, a decrease of $438,579 from 2018. “According to a recent news story, unemployment in Louisiana has increased over the last several months, in spite of a stronger economy nationally,” Louisiana Baptists Business and Information Services Director Dale Lingenfelter told the Baptist Message. “The 2019 budget reflects this reality. “However, we know God is faithful, and so are His … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer WOODWORTH – Louisiana College President Rick Brewer beamed with excitement as he shared with Executive Board members how God provided funds to renovate Guinn Auditorium, a facility that reopened August 23 after construction work forced its closure for the last two years. “To God be the glory for what He has done,” Brewer said during the Executive Board meeting September 25 at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center. “We’re going to enjoy this building for many, many years to come.” The 1,661-seat facility, which is used for chapel services, commencement exercises and other large gatherings, received new lights, sound system, HVAC, roof, ceiling, walls, floor and seats. Guinn Auditorium is one of 18 buildings on campus that received interior and exterior improvements after GuideOne Insurance approved a claim for $18 million of projects that stem from an April 2015 hail storm. The school contacted GuideOne to request an inspection, which revealed the refurbishment would be rather costly but the insurer agreed to cover all the repairs. Brewer invited Executive Board members to attend a re-dedication celebration of Guinn Auditorium September 30. Special guests were to include … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – Momentum is building for what could be one of the largest multi-denominational evangelistic outreaches ever in Central Louisiana. The Hope4U GO TELL Crusade will be held Oct. 14-17 at the Rapides Parish Coliseum, and has support from at least 50 churches in the CenLa Baptist Association as well as congregations from other denominations. Rick Gage, founder of GO TELL Crusades in Duluth, Georgia, team evangelist Ken Freeman, founder of Ken Freeman Ministries in Martindale, Texas, and Scott Camp, founder of Discover Joy Ministries in Fort Worth, Texas, will bring Gospel messages. Meanwhile, award-winning Christian bands Rush of Fools and NewSong will be joined by an area-wide mass choir as well as the GO TELL worship team to share about Christ through music. “When the body of Christ comes together, works together, prays together, and fasts together, it builds unity and builds a synergy where the body of Christ can have a huge spiritual impact in a community,” Gage said. “The key to a successful outreach event in addition to the leadership and preparation it builds unity, as one, for the purpose of reaching the lost. That’s one of the byproducts of these events that it … [Read more...]