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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

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Perhaps you have heard about David Meade’s prediction that the rapture would take place yesterday, April 23? He said the same thing last year. Then, he said he miscalculated. His failed prediction of yesterday has him now saying that the rapture will take place between May and December. For Mr. Meade’s sake, I am glad that the law of Deuteronomy 18:20 was not invoked. Look it up—“That prophet must die.” I do have some strong feelings about people misleading others about the subject of Jesus’ return. Jesus gave the supreme answer on the matter. “Now concerning that day and hour no one knows.” Case closed. Next subject. Stop paying attention to the date setters. Before Jesus’ death, after the resurrection, and by the Spirit after His ascension, Jesus spoke of His return—His second coming. This is the great hope of the church. The importance of the return of Christ is evident in that these are the last words that Jesus spoke. The promise of Jesus’ return ought to make a difference in our lives. How should we live in light of the promise of the return of Christ? I want to point your attention to three principles today. The certainty of His coming ought to give us great comfort. One of the strongest arguments for the … [Read more...]

Fire destroys Camp Living Waters maintenance building

By Message Staff LORANGER - A fire Monday, April 23, destroyed the maintenance building at Camp Living Waters in Loranger, but camp staff are thankful no one was injured. Camp Director Scott Mercer told the Baptist Message the fire, believed to be electrical, started around 1 p.m. Monday. Responding to the fire was the Loranger and 8th Ward Volunteer Fire Departments. A total of 14 firemen from six trucks battled the blaze until it was extinguished. Among the most expensive items lost in the fire were a tractor, two zero turn lawn mowers and golf cart, worth more than $60,000. The fire also destroyed Mercer's personal camper. He is waiting to find out what items insurance will cover. "Prayer is the beginning of the process as we wait to hear from insurance," Mercer said. "Then people can begin to pray for us as we recuperate our losses and rebuild. Pray for wisdom of where to start and how we can do this process in a way that honors and glorifies our Lord. "When you think of the shop it’s not just a building,” he continued. "It is the contents of the building that takes its toll. "So our immediate needs will be for those bigger items," he continued. "Grass doesn't stop growing and camp season is just a few … [Read more...]

State DR teams answer needs, minister to victims following deadly weekend storms

By Message Staff An outbreak of tornadoes left death and destruction in its path Friday, April 13, and Saturday, April 14, as tornadoes touched down in Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Lincoln and Union parishes, according to the National Weather Service. Louisiana Disaster Relief teams wasted no time responding in the wake of the storms. “Storms are a reality in Louisiana and we have volunteers ready and willing to help when needed,” Gibbie McMillan, state disaster relief director for Louisiana Baptists said. “Many ask why and the answer is so we can share the good news of the gospel.  It seems like God uses the storm to get our attention and then we are called to respond with help healing and hope.” McMillan said the tornado outbreak is a reminder of how valuable volunteers are for responding with Christ’s love in disastrous situations. DEADLY STORM Besides uprooting trees, causing structural damage and knocking out power to more than 76,000 SWEPCO customers in a three Arkansas, Texas and Louisiana, the powerful storm claimed the life of 20-month-old Carli Ortiz, who was killed early Saturday when a tree feel on the recreational vehicle in which she was sleeping in the Hill Crest Mobile Home & RV Park in … [Read more...]

TRUSTEES: NOBTS announces multi-ethic initiative

By Gary D. Meyers, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS -- New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary announced a multi-ethnic initiative designed to diversify the seminary community and a tuition cap plan during its spring trustee meeting on April 12. Trustees approved a $23.4 million dollar budget, four new master of arts in missiology specializations, new undergraduate training sites and faculty promotions. In addition, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission President Russell Moore was named visiting professor of theology and ethics, and Liberty University apologist Gary Habermas was named as visiting professor of apologetics. NOBTS President Chuck Kelley introduced the multi-ethnic initiative, which he calls "Different Voices," during the presidential report. The goal of the initiative is the increase in minority representation in every layer of the seminary community -- students, staff and faculty. Initial plans include workshops for minority students seeking a ministry in Southern Baptist Convention academics and a doctoral fellowship for minority students. As the plan was developed, Kelley met with minority students to share ideas and receive feedback. Kelley said the group wholeheartedly endorsed the name of the … [Read more...]

LC’s Preview Day features Lowery and Jenkins

By Norm Miller PINEVILLE (LCNews) – Louisiana College’s Preview Day featured Fred Lowery and Wayne Jenkins as keynoters for prospective students interested in a Missions & Ministries degree, and for students already in that track of studies. “Love God and love people.” That was the advice from Lowery, after whom the Fred Lowery Missions & Ministries Scholarship is named. “Do that and God’s favor will be on you.” Lowery, now retired from full-time church ministry, shared several vignettes of evangelism and their results from his career that included a 30-year stint as pastor of First Baptist Church, Bossier City. “God plus nothing is all you need,” Lowery said, adding that “trusting God alone allowed me to do things for God beyond my wildest dreams.” Christians “can get involved in so many things that we can forget the main thing, and that is telling others about Jesus,” Lowery added. “Do what God tells you to do and let God do the rest.” Jenkins said he owes “a huge debt to what Louisiana College taught me about evangelism and missions. LC shaped me and molded me, and I thank God for the missions heart planted in me there.” Now retired from the Louisiana Baptist Convention as Director of … [Read more...]

Louisiana College’s Preview Day breaks all attendance records

By Victor Villavieja PINEVILLE (LBM) — Louisiana College’s Preview Day attendance has increased 59 percent since last year, continuing the solid growth tendency of the last three years. Over 140 high school students were part of the March 24 event, which suggests that the student enrollment for the coming school year will rise again. The students and their families congregated at the Martin Performing Arts Center around 1 in the afternoon. It was a standing-room-only occasion. Rick Brewer, president of Louisiana College, welcomed the attendees and explained how the school is attempting to equip the students with the means to succeed in the 21st century. “We are preparing graduates to implement a change,” Brewer said. “The students receive an education that enables them to develop critical thinking, analytical reasoning, and problem-solving skills, while growing in their relationship with God. We have grown 24 percent in our student enrollment in two years, and the good word is getting out.” In the fall of 2017, Louisiana College registered a total of 474 new students, including first-time freshmen and transfers. Among them, there were 17 new international students from countries as diverse as Spain, Sweden, … [Read more...]

Richard Blackaby: “Sermons alone will not transform a broken nation into a blessed one”

By Victor G. Villavieja Larraz PINEVILLE (LBM) — Richard Blackaby, president of Blackaby Ministries International, led Louisiana College’s chapel March 20, calling the students to become the mighty warriors they can be in God. Son of Henry Blackaby - author of “Experiencing God” – Richard travels the world speaking on various aspects of Christian life, ministering Christian CEOs as well as church and family leaders. Blackaby opened his sermon at the Martin Performing Arts Center by manifesting how necessary it is for Christians to integrate their faith and their occupation to implement change in God’s name. “Sermons alone will not transform a broken nation into a blessed one,” Blackaby said. “God is always calling professionals, business people, men and women who aren’t preachers. Many times, when God gets something done it’s not because someone preaches from a pulpit, but because someone puts his life in God’s hands and lets Him drive.” To illustrate his message, Blackaby read Judges 6:11-13 from his Bible, recalling the story of Gideon. “Now the angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth of Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide … [Read more...]

Youth movement stirs growth at Northside

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer MONTGOMERY – Micheal Young once spent his free time enjoying the ways of the world, but a visit to a youth meeting at Northside Baptist Church in Montgomery transformed the high schooler into a Christ-follower on fire for the Lord. “I went for a girl at first, but when I got to the church the Lord spoke to me,” said Young, who was baptized the Sunday after his conversion in October. “Before I started going to church, I would get into mischief every weekend and bully people. Now, the Lord has touched me and I have a testimony of a person who has given up the bad ways of his past life to live a reborn life.” The change in Young’s life even inspired his brothers, Aaron and Jacob, and his cousin, Jeremiah, to repent of their sins and turn their lives over to Christ in the ensuing months. “My family and I talked and shed a bunch of tears,” Young said. “It feels great knowing I am able to help someone get out of a bad situation by offering them real hope found in Jesus.” Baptisms of students like Young have not been the exception but the norm recently at Northside Baptist Church. Since 2016, 78 new converts – many who are youth – have stirred the baptistery waters there. The … [Read more...]