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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Hisaw retires after 20 years at Tioga FBC

By Baptist Message staff TIOGA, La. (LBM) – Friends, family and members of Tioga First Baptist Church gathered April 27 to honor long-time Pastor Tim Hisaw, who is retiring April 30. Born in Jackson, Miss., and spending his grade school years in Huntsville, Ala., Hisaw’s spiritual journey began in 1972, when he accepted Christ and was baptized at Whitesburg Baptist Church.  But it was during a move to Lafayette -- shortly before he began high school – he began pursuit his calling in ministry. Through the discipleship efforts of Lafayette pastors Perry Sanders and Mike Walker and other godly men and women, Hisaw eventually felt called to ministry while a freshman at the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now the University of Louisiana-Lafayette). After earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology from USL and later a master’s degree from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Hisaw served as youth minister at Bayou View Baptist Church, Gulfport, Miss. (86-89), First Baptist Church, Mansfield (89-92), Highland Baptist Church, New Iberia (92-99), The Bayou Church, Lafayette (99-2001) and Tioga FBC on May 15, 2005. He later became pastor on Jan. 11, 2009. “During my time as pastor, the church has loved Jesus, my … [Read more...]

LCU alumna attorney doing Lord’s work in Grant Parish

By Elizabeth Clarke, LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) - The adage “The Lord works in mysterious ways” is definitely true for Louisiana Christian University alumna Bonita Preuett Armour. What started as a desire to remain young and healthy has become a growing ministry in Grant Parish. “It’s not about me; this is the Lord’s place,” Armour said. “This campus is a ministry for the Lord. I’m just His hands and His feet. He does it all.” Armour, a native of Grant Parish, is a 1989 pre-law and history LC graduate, attended LSU Law School, and has been a successful practicing attorney in Central Louisiana for decades. She has recently turned the former Dry Prong Junior High School into a thriving location for fitness, a community garden, her law office and a pizza restaurant—and more is in the planning. The school had been in operation until 2011 before it was auctioned off. The owner, James Crooks, listed the gymnasium for sale on Facebook in 2018. So, when Armour saw the gym at the old school campus (where she had attended as a child in 1978) up for sale, she felt like the Lord was telling her something. “I had started B22 in my garage in 2012, and we had outgrown my garage and backyard,” she said. “I called … [Read more...]

Foundation Executive Director
Jeffrey Steed to retire

By Baptist Message staff ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) -- On Wednesday, Jeffrey Steed announced he will retire on May 31 as executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Foundation, having served in this leadership role since April 1, 2020. According to an LBF press release, Steed plans to travel with his wife, Shana, and they will be spending time with family in Texas. The LBF Board of Trustees met April 23 and named Director of Planned Giving Jared Price to serve as interim executive director, starting June 1. Price has served in his present post since October 2022. During Steed’s tenure, more than $70 million has been achieved toward the Foundation’s Vision200 strategic plan (impacting the Kingdom with $200 million or more in 20 or fewer years), and the Foundation has reached its highest short-term fund rate in more than 16 years. Following Steed’s announcement, LBF trustees released a statement expressing appreciation to him and reaffirming their commitment to the stewardship ministry they provide Louisiana Baptists. “The Board and Staff of the Foundation are grateful to Steed for his five years of faithful service as Executive Director and are excited to embrace Price in his new role,” they wrote. “The Foundation … [Read more...]

Speaker Johnson to Calvary students:

Live to make an ‘impact’

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor SHREVEPORT, La. (LBM) – During a Calvary Baptist Academy assembly, April 22, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a member of Cypress Baptist Church, Benton, explained what made America a great country in the past, took a phone call from President Donald J. Trump, and shared the biblical concept of what makes an individual great in urging students to “live to make an impact.” The school is a ministry of Calvary Baptist Church in Shreveport, and Johnson is a former member. GREAT NATION Johnson compared the historical model of European monarchies, in which rights passed from God through the king to the people, to the American form of government “of the people, by the people, for the people,” with citizens’ rights coming directly from God. “We are the first country in the history of the world that set ourselves up with a statement of faith that is listed with theological clarity in our birth certificate, the Declaration of Independence,” Johnson said, noting that many of our founding fathers were seminarians who understood that “we are all made in God’s image,” meaning “every single person has inestimable dignity and value.” In contrast, Johnson pointed to the antitheses of a … [Read more...]

EVANGELISM 101 (Part 4): Special Cases

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – The focus of the Gospel conversation must prioritize eternal redemption – salvation – to the lost. However, it is often the case that a person brings other needs into the conversation that are important to hear and, in some cases, demand immediate action. Baptist churches record, on average, 25 percent of their annual baptisms because of Vacation Bible School, so it is fitting to start this discussion about special cases by addressing some considerations when Gospel counseling children. Even more so, Christ declared that every person must come to Him “as a little child” to enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt. 18:3; Lk. 18:17). Consequently, pointers about counseling children apply whether the child is five or 95. CHILDREN Everyone comes to the Father the exact same way – through the Son (John 14:6). There is one plan of salva­tion. However, explaining that plan might need to take into account a number of consider­ations -- even about our choice of words – so that every individ­ual may understand. With children, particularly, it is important to put them at ease. Make sure that both of you are sitting so that there is a relatively level eye contact … [Read more...]

Louisiana Governor’s prayer breakfast draws more than 20 to Christ

By Baptist Message staff BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) - More than 20 people made decisions to follow Christ at the conclusion of the 61st annual Louisiana Governor’s Prayer Breakfast, April 16. Held inside the Crowne Plaza Executive Center in Baton Rouge, the breakfast featured a Gospel-centered message by keynote speaker Will Graham, evangelist Billy Graham's grandson and executive vice president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. After the event concluded, a spontaneous time of prayer broke out and some attendees remained for up to an hour to pray with Jay Johnston, chairman of the task force which organizes the annual event, as well as with other prayer intercessors Johnston had enlisted. Johnston, also the pastor of First Baptist Church, Melville, told the Baptist Message that the event was bathed in prayer for 10 months leading up to the event. “I pray with expectancy and believed God would do a work in this,” he said. “As the chair of the Louisiana Governor’s Prayer Breakfast, I along with our task force, am dedicated to guiding people through the work of the Holy Spirit to fulfill 1 Timothy 2:1-4 for God’s glory. “We are thankful that God inspired and empowered individuals to leave the breakfast with … [Read more...]

Arrested pastor had abandoned Louisiana Baptist congregation in February

By Baptist Message staff ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – In an email to the Baptist Message, Chris Holloway, senior pastor with Little Pass Baptist Church, Charenton, Louisiana, which sponsors Baldwin Baptist Mission Church, Baldwin, Louisiana, said that the former mission pastor, Shane Wiggins, who was arrested April 9, had abandoned the Baldwin congregation at least as early as the first Sunday in February. Holloway also serves as the associational mission strategist for the Gulf Coast Baptist Association that includes the Little Pass congregation as well as the Baldwin mission. Wiggins is being held in the Lamar County Jail in Texas while awaiting extradition to Morgan City, Louisiana, to face allegations of rape and molestation of a child. Hollaway said that Wiggins had previously served as pastor of the Baldwin Baptist Mission Church prior to 2011 and had returned in 2015 to again lead the small congregation (which averages 10 in worship services according to the Louisiana Baptist database). “Shane left town around the first of February,” Holloway wrote. “My last conversation with him was on Jan. 28, 2025.” Holloway also noted that Wiggins had been replaced as pastor on Feb. 12 by Warren Guidry, the associate pastor … [Read more...]

FIRST PERSON: Silent Saturday

By John Kyle, special to the Baptist Message ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) -- It’s what’s commonly referred to as “Holy Week,” the week leading up the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. We just celebrated Palm Sunday and later this week is Maundy Thursday which gives way to Good Friday and last, but certainly not least, is Easter Sunday. In the midst of this busy, significant week, let me suggest a new day for you and I living on this side of the resurrection - Silent Saturday. Allow me to elaborate … Two thousand years ago the events leading up to what we now call Easter were a whirlwind - to say the least. And things certainly didn't turn out the way the way those early Christ followers envisioned.  So there they were, after a bizarre week that began with a celebration and ended with a crucifixion.  It was Saturday. The crowds gone. Their minds and hearts numb. And they were not sure what's next. Now, on this side of history we know what's next - but they didn't. Our lives are often the same way - crazy busy – and sometimes bizarre.  Our smartphones light up with one notification after another. Great anticipation is often replaced by great disappointment in our careers, in our relationships and even with God. And … [Read more...]

Revival spurs spiritual renewal at FBC Natchitoches

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NATCHITOCHES, La. (LBM) – Nearly 400 members and guests of First Baptist Church, Natchitoches, sought reconciliation and laid down their own idols during a recent four-day Thirst Revival Conference. Hosted by Niles, Michigan-based Life Action Ministries, the gathering featured nightly messages on the need to trust in God even in the hard seasons of life, removing idols, dangers of bitterness and examination of one’s own love for the Lord, himself and others. The conference also included high-energy music, children’s programming and a women’s luncheon led entirely by Life Action’s ministry team. In the end, the church came away more unified and ready for God’s next step in their lives. Tommy Rush, senior pastor of FBCN, told the Baptist Message that every night entire families filled the altar and others gathered in pews as they sought reconciliation and offered long-overdue encouragement. “It was more of a focus on being refreshed and restoring relationships in our family and church,” FBCN Senior Pastor Tommy Rush told the Baptist Message. “Sometimes you don’t realize how hungry people in the church are to restore broken relationships. “The revival focused a lot … [Read more...]