By Norm Miller, LCNews PINEVILLE --New student numbers continue to trend upward at Louisiana College as evidenced by attendance at two pre-registration days this year. Called “Front of the Line,” these enrollment events drew a total of 226 students in 2017 as compared to 186 last year. Attendance to the June 24 Front of the Line was 63, almost double the 38 who attended in 2016. “Clearly, we have turned a corner at Louisiana College,” said Louisiana College President Rick Brewer. “Enrollment had trended downward significantly in the years before my arrival in April of 2015,” he said, “but the team we have assembled and the recruitment strategies we have employed are paying significant dividends. What we are seeing is the fruit of our labors and our gracious God’s blessings.” LC’s Front of the Line is not only a time for pre-registration, but also offers instruction on college life for incoming students and a session with parents on matters related to the college experience. Featuring numerous campus leaders, Vice President for Enrollment Management Brandon Bannon keynoted the event. While touting LC’s heritage of academic excellence and notable faculty, Bannon cited the college’s commitment to integrating … [Read more...]

By Message Staff ALEXANDRIA – It is a milestone worthy of celebrating. Louisiana Baptists will gather at the Louisiana Baptists building ready to celebrate the planting of the 200th church since 2010 July 12. By reaching this mark, it means Louisiana Baptists are two-thirds of the way toward reaching their goal of planting 300 churches by 2020. “When we started this journey, it seemed to be such a formidable task,” said John Hebert, director of the Missions and Ministry Team for Louisiana Baptists. “But through much prayer, hard work, a really good plan and God’s blessing we are not only going to meet our goal but possibly could surpass it. “We are over joyed and grateful to God for helping us to plant this many churches (200) in just seven years’ time,” Hebert continued.  “This is huge … really, really huge.” The goal was part of the President’s 2020 Commission report, affirmed by messengers during the 2013 LBC Annual Meeting in Alexandria. The report included 10 actions steps of which one was to plant 300 churches by the year 2020. “Church Planting Director James Jenkins is a wonderful partner in ministry, he is to be commended for his untiring work on helping us to reach this milestone so soon,” said Hebert. … [Read more...]

NEW ORLEANS (BP) – Famed New Orleans evangelist Bob Harrington, known by many as "the Chaplain of Bourbon Street," passed away of kidney failure on July 4 in Stigler, Okla., where he had lived the last seven years with family. He was 89. Harrington became a well-known evangelist during the 1960s and 1970s following his conversion to Christianity at age 30 in his hometown of Sweet Water, Ala. He was a popular guest on national television shows including Phil Donahue, Merv Griffin and The Tonight Show due to his one-liners and unconventional religious wit. In the 1970’s, Bob met famed atheist Madalyn Murray O’Hair. The two could not be more polar opposite people. “Yes, many may say Madalyn knows the Scriptures better than I do, but I know the author,” said Harrington. The unlikely duo toured 38 cities debating the existence of God. Harrington's eight-day crusades, first held in tents and later high school stadiums and convention centers, produced thousands of converts. In 1960, after only a few years of preaching throughout the South on flatbed trailers and in tents, Harrington moved to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary with his wife Joyce, and daughters, Rhonda and Mitzi. During his time in seminary, Harrington … [Read more...]