By Message Staff PINEVILLE (LBM) -- Southern Baptist Convention presidential candidate Ken Hemphill challenged students attending the Louisiana College weekly chapel service Tuesday, March 27, to be available as an instrument to advance His kingdom. “When you pray, say ‘today Father on campus, let me see what you are about, what you are doing,’” Hemphill said. Drawing from John 5, Hemphill said to help accomplish this, students can ask God to help them see people as Jesus saw them, to help them respond to the need as He would and to show them where He is working. “When you ask Him to show you what He’s doing, He will,” Hemphill said. Hemphill ended his message with a challenge to the students and faculty. “God is looking for a campus, God is looking for a young man and woman, looking for a faculty person, who will dare to say I will embody your name, I will embrace your mission, and I will obey your will,” Hemphill said. Hemphill’s appearance at LC is one of three appearances he is making in the state today (March 27) and tomorrow (March 28). He meets with Louisiana Baptists at McClendon Baptist Church in West Monroe this evening at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, he will be the featured speaker at a noon luncheon and … [Read more...]

By Marilyn Stewart, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS -- At home or on the job, women committed to discipleship and transformed by Christ can change the world, speakers said at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary's "Discipling women into the future" conference. Rhonda Kelley, wife of NOBTS President Chuck Kelley, said the March 15-16 sessions aimed to equip women to minister through the church to other women, which the seminary's women's academic programs likewise do. "Women are gifted by God to serve Him and others but must develop those gifts and abilities personally," Kelley said. "As women grow in their faith, they can pour truth and experience into the lives of others through discipleship and mentoring. What a joy to train others for woman-to-woman ministry." Comedian Anita Renfroe opened the conference with a performance of song and laughter. Renfroe, whose stage and television appearances include the Grand Ole Opry, "Good Morning America" and CBS' "The Early Show," has produced numerous DVDs and books including "The Purse-Driven Life" and "Don't Say I Didn't Warn You: Kids, Carbs and the Coming Hormonal Apocalypse." Renfro, in her concluding devotional thoughts, called on women to give God whatever is in … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer Wednesday she stepped inside Faith Baptist Church in Bastrop for a youth Bible study. Years of a strained relationship with her father combined with difficulties in school had taken its toll on Musgrove – until that June 2016 evening when she learned about the love Christ has for her. That night Musgrove turned over her troubles to God, declaring Jesus as Lord, and the following Sunday she was baptized. Musgrove now enjoys spending time with her father, and even hopes one day to attend college as she pursues her dream of becoming a surgeon. “Jesus has truly changed the way I see life,” Musgrove said. “My home life has changed to the point that my dad is thrilled when I come inside the same room to hear me sometimes sing for the Lord. I am truly not the same girl that I was when I came to Faith Baptist Church two years ago.” OLDER REACHING YOUNGER Musgrove is one of 32 youth baptized since January 2016 at Faith Baptist, a church that has seen Christ move miraculously among its adult members, with an average age of 70, resulting in this effective outreach to youth. Pastor Bodie Spicer said the catalyst for the change occurred during a Morehouse Baptist Association … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, LC News PINEVILLE (LCNews) -- In a letter received this week by Louisiana College, the Louisiana State Board of Nursing re-instated full approval status upon LC’s Nursing Program pursuant to a decision reached at the LSBN’s February meeting. Last year the LSBN placed the College on probation because the 2016 NCLEX-RN licensure examination pass rate fell below the required 80 percent. “We are grateful for our commendable faculty and committed students for their hard work and studious efforts during the last year to regain what was lost,” said Marilyn Cooksey, Dean of the Rife and Carolyn Saunders Nursing program at LC. “We remain confident that our proposed measures initiated last year to remediate this matter will continue to improve our test scores and the competency of Nursing skills among our students.” “A year ago, we employed several strategies and solutions in response to this matter,” said LC President Rick Brewer. “It looks like we had the right approach and right people. The LSBN allotted three years to alleviate the problem, and Dr. Cooksey and her staff resolved it in one.” General solutions proposed a year ago were increased rigor and the elevation of test and grading methods. Specific … [Read more...]

Lonnie Wascom, Director Missions for the Northshore Baptist Association, sent out a letter from  David Cranford of First Baptist Ponchatoula calling for immediate action to stop the expansion of gambling in Tangipahoa Parish. Cranford's provides information below, especially for all pastors who serve in Tangipahoa Parish, “but, quite frankly, we need ALL of you to help prevent the expansion of this horrible disaster called state-sponsored gambling,” wrote Cranford. Check out what is going on Tuesday and do your best to attend and speak. David Cranford and Louis Husser and others are doing all they can to mobilize us. There are other bills BUT Senator While's calls for the legislature to grant Tangipahoa the "right" to call an election for the purpose of setting up a casino near Robert/Bedico. Let's step up, OK? Read and heed the following: Tangi Pastors and other Brothers & Sisters opposed to gambling, The LA Senate Committee on Judiciary B will meet next Tuesday, March 20 beginning at 10 am in Room E of the state capital. Six of the gambling bills will come up for discussion INCLUDING Senator Bodi White's SB 417 which calls for the referendum election in Tangipahoa Parish. Here are the email addresses … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message Ken Hemphill, noted author, pastor and Southern Baptist leader will make three visits in Louisiana at the end of March. Hemphill is a candidate for president of the Southern Baptist Convention, and will be officially nominated during the 2018 SBC Annual Meeting, June 12-13, in Dallas, Texas. On March 27 Hemphill will speak during the 11 a.m. chapel service at Louisiana College in the Martin Performing Arts Center. Later that day, 6:30 p.m., he will meet with Louisiana Baptists at McClendon Baptist Church in West Monroe. Wednesday, March 28, he will be the featured speaker at a noon event at the First Baptist Church in Bossier City. A free lunch will be served and registration is requested by e-mailing lorine@firstbossier.com. The chapel service will be livestreamed at lacollege.edu/content/livestream-chapel-spring-2018. The First Bossier luncheon will be streamed live on the church’s Facebook page, facebook.com/firstbossier. According to a prior Baptist Message report, Hemphill has an established record of commitment to Southern Baptists, having served as president of Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, as well as in leadership roles with the North American Mission Board, … [Read more...]

By John Marcase PINEVILLE (LBM) – When Stewart Holloway took over as pastor of First Baptist Church Pineville in August 2008 he saw an empty gymnasium and had a vision of it being filled with Upward Basketball teams. But, his vision remained just that – year after year. Until, finally, someone stepped up to lead the program – a person Holloway was not expecting to take on that leadership role. “I kept putting it off and putting it off,” said Kathy Holloway, Stewart Holloway’s mother. “Finally, I told Stewart that I didn’t want to get to Heaven and have God say to me, ‘Well, they still don’t have Upward Basketball at First Baptist,” she said. “As the pastor’s mother, I wanted to give someone else the opportunity,” she explained. “I’m fortunate that (God) gave me the ability to work with people,” she continued, emphasizing that with any ministry effort, “The key is finding people to help.” GIFTED & CALLED “It’s obvious there was some ‘call’ in there – that she felt she needed to do it and use her gifts,” said Stewart. And Kathy Holloway’s gifts were tailor-made for running a basketball program. Kathy Holloway was a standout basketball player for Poland High School in rural Rapides Parish, leading … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer GEORGETOWN – The newly constructed worship center at Georgetown Baptist Church represents more than just a building, serving as a spiritual hub for this community of 350. Dedicated March 4, the 5,600-sq.-ft. facility seats 256 – enough to accommodate the growing number of worshippers on Sunday mornings. Since moving into the building, attendance has averaged 140, a 28 percent increase from the 117 who were worshipping each week in the early part of last year. The church also has baptized 50 new believers in the last four years, including 10 in 2017. “God is at work in our rural communities,” Pastor Carl Griffith told the Baptist Message. “We have seen an influx of young married couples with young children at Georgetown Baptist Church. These families have joined our congregation, and, they have become actively involved in our church work, which has led to further growth. “We see our new sanctuary as an opportunity for our ministry right now, but this new building also represents for us an opportunity to preserve ministry in Georgetown into the future,” Griffith said. “We are thankful for the growth and how God has blessed and moved in our small community. This building gives … [Read more...]