By Louisiana Baptist Women’s Missions and Ministry Team PINEVILLE, La. (LBC) – On Aug. 29, the Louisiana Baptist women’s missions and ministry team led women from across the state to pack hygiene giftboxes for those at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women. With representatives from 16 Louisiana Baptist associations, the day became a powerful demonstration of cooperation and compassion. The effort, hosted on the campus of Louisiana Christian University, brought together not only women from every corner of Louisiana but also men – including three associational mission strategists - who joined in the packing. Among the churches who participated were First Baptist Church, Gonzales, which brought donated supplies from several churches in the Baton Rouge area, and Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, New Orleans. By the close of the packing day, 912 giftboxes had been completed - just shy of the 1,000-box goal. Thankfully, the story does not end there. In the two weeks following the packing day, churches from around the state continued to bring in additional hygiene kits to the WMM office, pushing the effort over the top. The 1,000-box goal was the largest in the history of this ministry, doubling what was … [Read more...]
Point of Life celebrates debt retirement
Norris Landry, pastor with Point of Life Community Church, and Stewart Holloway, pastor with First Baptist Church, Pineville, that has helped sponsor the church, recently celebrated the retirement of $50,000 in debt on the congregation’s worship center. Sixty members and guests rejoiced during a special note burning service, Sept. 7, as they celebrated the milestone during observance of the church’s 10th anniversary … [Read more...]
Faith, rodeo and community combine at this Louisiana Cowboy Church
LBF holds its first ChurchBiz Conferences
By Baptist Message staff ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – The Louisiana Baptist Foundation recently wrapped up its inaugural ChurchBiz Conferences which was designed to enhance church business practices and support effective ministry operations. Held Sept. 8-11 in Ruston, Alexandria, Lake Charles and Baton Rouge, the conferences drew 57 and included pastors, treasurers, financial team members and other church/ ministry staff members. Speakers included Josh Henry, founder of Simplify Church, Tyler Moore, senior producer with GuideStone, and Jared Price, executive director with the Louisiana Baptist Foundation. “Attendees expressed that the conferences were very beneficial, not only in terms of information shared but also due to the opportunity to collaborate with others working in similar roles,” Price told the Baptist Message. The conferences are part of the LBF’s ChurchBiz services, a one-stop shop for church business that includes podcasts, conferences, publications, comprehensive solutions and other offerings for churches, Price said. The ChurchBiz Services specifically include accounting services, capital/stewardship campaigns, cash management, church loans, computer support line, giving-gateway.net, online giving, and … [Read more...]
EVANGELISM 101 (Part 9): Trusting God when trauma is revealed
By Ryan Johnson, Special to the Baptist Message EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second of a pair of articles about how to share the Gospel with people who have experienced trauma. NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – Trauma-informed evangelism recognizes that behind many Gospel conversations lies a story of pain — and calls the messenger to respond not with pressure, but with patience, presence, and Spirit-led compassion. Imagine two friends at a coffee shop. One, a slightly nervous Christian, has just lovingly shared the Good News. The other hesitates, eyes brimming: “I want to believe this is true… I really do. But I’ve been hurt so badly. Every time I’ve trusted someone—even Christians— it ended up breaking me.” DISCERN THE MOMENT In evangelism, we are laborers in God’s harvest fi eld (Luke 10:2), working alongside the Holy Spirit, whose unseen movement brings new birth (John 3:8). When trauma surfaces alongside a longing for peace, trauma-informed evangelism calls for discernment, pastoral sensitivity, and a non-intrusive presence–one that listens more than instructs, and invites rather than insists. In our urgency to call people to repentance and faith in Christ, we must labor alongside the Holy Spirit to nurture genuine … [Read more...]
Louisiana Notables
EDITOR’S NOTE: The Baptist Message provides churches an opportunity to share with other Louisiana Baptists an upcoming revival, homecoming, new pastor, new staff member, a community outreach, or a concert in Louisiana Notables. To place your event in the paper, send your information (who, what, where, when, time) to philip@baptistmessage.com or call 318.449.4345. Please submit your information four weeks prior to the event to insure placement in the Message. ON THE MOVE Alton Achord is available for supply pastorate in the Central LA area. Please call Achord at 318.715.8874. Jill (husband Jeff) Harvill will be observing Educational Ministry at Bellaire Baptist Church. Providence Baptist Church: Amber Moulton, music, resigned to Laity. Annison Stasny, new music minister, from Laity. Randall Gill has resigned as pastor of New Bethlehem Baptist Church. Shane Picou is the new past at Macedonia Baptist Church, Holden. Erron Goodwin is the new Midpoint Minister at the Celebration Metairie Campus. Jeremy Wicker is the new single adults pastor at First Baptist Church, Covington. Logan Arnold is the new youth minister at Grace Memorial Baptist Church, Slidell. Cody Salassi is the new youth minister at Jerusalem … [Read more...]
GBO advances the Gospel through ESL ministry
By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer AVONDALE, La. (LBM) – The opportunity to share Christ with the world has come to Louisiana Baptist churches through English as a Second Language classes. “The purpose of all literacy missions ministries is to intentionally share the Gospel as God uses church volunteers to meet literacy needs,” Brown told the Baptist Message. “ESL allows church volunteers to incorporate the Bible into every aspect of their classes. “Prayer is a priority inside and outside of the classes, and the Gospel is also shared, no matter what the students’ religious backgrounds are,” she continued. “Anyone can participate in this ministry because a person doesn’t have to speak another language to teach someone how to speak English.” FBCA, NOBTS CONNECT Each Monday evening at First Baptist Church, Avondale, three to four lead teachers and three assistants, including New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Leavell College students, teach ESL classes to between 10 and 40 students from as many as eight nationalities, church ministry team leaders said. Marc Daniels, pastor with FBC Avondale, realized while canvassing the surrounding neighborhood in 2023 that a large Vietnamese population … [Read more...]
Record crowd shines at annual Champions Camp
By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer WOODWORTH, La. (LBM) – The Champions Camp for individuals with special needs recorded its largest attendance ever, drawing 91 campers and their buddies for a weekend of activities tailored to them. The Louisiana Baptist summer camp for people with special needs matched participants with buddies who accompanied them during the event. The camp, whose previous record attendance was 50 set in 2024, featured karaoke, snow cones, ice cream party, fishing, games, bazooka ball, crafts, disco party and worship designed for children and adults from ages 8 and up who have intellectual or development disabilities. Lisa Smith, a member with First Baptist Church, Hornbeck, was among the buddies who attended the weekend with a camper. Smith was filled with joy as she witnessed her camper, Amber Holloway, enjoying camp for the first time. “I was here three minutes and was already crying,” Smith told the Baptist Message. “It was emotional for me, getting to see her and the other campers have so much fun.” Brenda Hudson, the mother of camper Alex Zimmerman, was moved to tears as she watched her son fish. “It touches my heart,” she said. “I’ve always wanted him to be involved in … [Read more...]
YOUNG: Thoughts and prayers in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s murder (with Jefferson Baptist video)
Jones to be LBC presidential nominee
By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer PRAIRIEVILLE, La. (LBM) – Kirk Jones, pastor of Fellowship Church, Prairieville, will be nominated for the office of president with the Louisiana Baptist Convention during the 2025 annual meeting of church messengers. Bill Dye, pastor of North Monroe Baptist Church, shared with the Baptist Message, Sept. 10, his intention to make the nomination. The yearly gathering of Louisiana Baptists is scheduled to be held in the facilities of the Randolph Riverfront Center, Alexandria, Nov. 11. STATEMENT OF SUPPORT Dye commended Jones’ character during the 15 years he has known him. “I’ve watched him lead his church through a variety of challenges,” Dye told the Baptist Message. “Kirk is a visionary leader with character. He not only wants to do the right thing; he wants to do things the right way. And God has blessed that. He referenced the growth of Fellowship Church, which has grown from a few people who met in Jones’ living room in 2001 to a campus of more than 1,400 with 112 baptisms in 2025. “I know that numbers don’t always tell you what’s going on in a church,” Dye said. “The movement of the Spirit is more than buildings, bodies, and budgets. Some of our … [Read more...]
