by David Roach and Marilyn Stewart RIDGELAND, Miss. (BP) -- Grady Cothen -- the former chief executive of a state convention, a Southern Baptist university and two Southern Baptist Convention entities -- died May 19 at The Orchard retirement home in Ridgeland, Miss. He was 96. Among his service to Southern Baptists, Cothen was executive secretary of the Southern Baptist General Convention of California (1961-66), president of Oklahoma Baptist University (1966-70), president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (1970-74) and president of the Baptist Sunday School Board (1974-1984). The California convention has since been renamed the California Southern Baptist Convention, and the Sunday School Board has become LifeWay Christian Resources. LEFT A DEEP MARK "Few Southern Baptist leaders have made so deep a mark in so many different places as did Grady Cothen," New Orleans Seminary President Chuck Kelley said in a news release. "He came to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary when it was in a crisis. He brought stability and a foundation upon which our future was built. We thank God for giving our convention such an excellent leader." When Cothen arrived at New Orleans Seminary, it was experiencing "depleted … [Read more...]

PINEVILLE (LCNews) - Louisiana College students will serve for a week this summer among the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in Omak, Washington, located in the north central part of the state. Joining the combined ministry efforts of the Twin Bridges and Parkview Baptist Churches of Alexandria,  are LC students Katherine Boswell, sophomore Social Work major; Morgan Carlock, sophomore English major; Jonathan Clark, sophomore and Social Work major and worship leader at Twin Bridges; David Kim, junior Christian Studies major; and John Phillips, junior Christian Studies major and youth minister at Twin Bridges. The June 3-10 mission trip includes 21 people sharing responsibilities in Vacation Bible School, where volunteers will be teaching children songs about Jesus, sharing the Gospel with stories, showing God’s love through creative crafts, and unifying the group through recreational activities. The team will lead a teen Bible study each night. LC students will serve food to the homeless each morning. John Phillips, one of the student leaders of the mission trip, has a heart for those in need of encouragement, saying that the Native Americans in this area “are a people group living in spiritual darkness, … [Read more...]

By Message Staff COUSHATTA – Richard Kaufman values the power of prayer so strongly that he is joining other churches Saturday, May 20, for a prayer walk the day before the Red River Association Crusade begins. By gathering for corporate prayer, Kaufman believes God can use the seven-day crusade to unify the churches and change the parish forever. “We don’t work revival up,” said Kaufman, pastor of Martin Baptist Church in Coushatta. “He sends it down. We’re praying not only for folks to be saved but for people to get involved in evangelism and people to get revived. “The two greatest needs in churches today beside revival are repentance and evangelism,” he continued. “There is no time like the present.” Scheduled for May 21 at Social Springs Baptist Church in Ringgold and May 22-27 at the Red River Parish fairgrounds in Coushatta, the crusade will feature evangelist Sam Moore of Bentonville, Ark., and musical guest Donna Weaver of Tuscaloosa, Ala. A meal will be served at 5:30 p.m., followed by the service at 6:30 p.m. For several months, a team from six churches has worked to bring together the crusade. In addition to three planning meetings, the team has scheduled a prayer walk for 10 a.m. May 20 at the Red … [Read more...]

ALEXANDRIA - The CENLA Pregnancy Center soon will have a permanent home. The official signing of the lease will take place later this week for spaces located at 1254 MacArthur Drive in Alexandria, next to the Louisiana Baptist Building. The 5,660-sq.-ft. center should open sometime in the fall, when spiritual ministry will begin as well as medical and educational services. “We are thrilled to finally have a location,” said Brian Gunter, pastor of First Baptist Church in Pollock. “God did more than we ever expected him to do when we first prayed about this idea. It’s been an amazing display of God’s people coming together.” Gunter said the organization has started a formal search process for a full-time executive director to oversee the day-to-day operations of the center. The center also will employ some part-time workers,and, three pro-life physicians have agreed to volunteer their time to work at the facility. Beginning May 26, the center will be open every Friday from noon to 1 p.m. to accept lightly-used items, with the exception of clothing, that pregnant women and their newborns may use. Donations of furniture also can be dropped off then. Please send financial gifts to 2201 Melrose St., Pineville, La., 71360. … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer JONESBORO – Organizers of the North Central Baptist Association crusade are citing focused prayer gatherings as a key factor for nearly 60 people making spiritual decisions. Held April 30-May 3 at Jonesboro-Hodge High School and Winnfield Middle School, the Real Hope Crusade drew around 700 people each night. By the end of the four-day revival, 25 people made a first-time public profession of faith in Jesus, another 35 recommitted their lives to Christ and two others surrendered to ministry. Leading up to the crusade, churches in the association participated in eight prayer rallies that totaled a combined attendance of around 1,000 at various locations in Jackson and Winn parishes. Many of the association’s 54 churches took part in one of the prayer gatherings that were held from the summer of 2016 until just before the crusade began. Director of missions Marty Black said prayer was a solid foundation for a mighty movement of the God throughout the four-day crusade. “What I have seen these past few months is churches willing to come together to pray,” Black said. “Just watching their desire to do so and then to see barriers come down and spiritual decisions made during … [Read more...]

By Jerry Love, LBF Communications ALEXANDRIA – Positive economic news, a significant increase in assets, continued progress in a software upgrade and a reception for retiring LBF controller Barbara Bell highlighted the quarterly meeting of the Louisiana Baptist Foundation Board of Trustees meeting April 25. INVESTMENT UPDATES E.L. Paulk, trustee from Deville, chaired the morning meeting of the investment committee and had Lee Morris, Investment Consultant with Graystone, give an update on the performance of the LBF portfolio According to Morris, active management is beginning to see traction versus passive management following the 2016 election and thus far in 2017. The overall portfolios are doing well. The expectation is domestic equities along with developed international equity will continue to perform well through the remainder of the year. Fixed income will continue to present a challenge in the current rate environment with this segment of the portfolio performing in line with expectations. The Federal Reserve has indicated it may raise rates two or three times by year end. Alternatives allocation, which includes smaller investment allocations in preferred stock, convertible securities and other types of … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer MONROE – The Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home has established the newest Trail Life USA troop in the state. “Trail Life enhances what we do here at the Children’s Home,” said Children’s Home President Perry Hancock, who shared the news during the entity’s board of trustees meeting May 5. “It’s all about Christian character and principles, which we teach at devotionals on campus and in churches they attend.” A faith-based alternative to the Boy Scouts of America, Trail Life USA teaches biblically-based character, adventure and leadership skills to thousands of young men in troops throughout the U.S. The Children’s Home is the eighth troop to be established in Louisiana. Unlike other troops, the one at the Children’s Home will have membership open just to its male residents. Hancock said while the majority of its activities will take place with fellow residents, he expects the troop to join the troop from First Baptist Church in Farmerville for special events, campouts, and other adventure activities. NEW MOBILE PREGNANCY CARE CENTER HOST Since 2011, the Children’s Home has operated a mobile pregnancy care center, which travels statewide with a registered nurse offering … [Read more...]

By Carolina Baptist Church SALINE – Carolina Baptist Church will celebrate its 175th homecoming May 21. Established in 1842, the church was founded when a group from the Carolina region of the U.S. was traveling by wagon and upon reaching Saline Creek discovered the water was too high to cross. The group then set up camp and had a revival, which was the first meeting of Carolina Baptist Church. Many of the founders of the church are buried in the nearby cemetery. The service will begin at 10 a.m., with Carolina Baptist Pastor Ken Roberts delivering the message and music performed by church members. Dinner on the ground will follow. … [Read more...]

ON THE MOVE Scottie Gray is the new pastor at New Hope Baptist Church, Monroe. Ken Ronaghan is the new pastor at Bonita Baptist Church, Bonita. Brent Avara is the new music minister at Cheniere Baptist Church, West Monroe. Jimmy Brock resigned as student minister at North Monroe Baptist Church, Bastrop. Jeremy Glascock is interim pastor at Colyell Baptist Church, Livingston. Scott (wife Bethany) Shirley is the youth minister at Ellerbe Road Baptist Church, Shreveport. Roy Davis is interim pastor at Woodland Hills Baptist Church, Shreveport. Cecil Marr is interim pastor at North Shreve Baptist Church, Shreveport. Scott Mercer is the new director at Camp Living Waters, Loranger. HOMECOMING Longview Baptist Church, Deville: 94th Homecoming, May 28, 10:30 a.m. Dinner on the Grounds will follow the services. Speaker: Mike Belgard. Pastor: Robby Poole. REVIVAL CORRECTION -- the revival at Lismore Baptist Church, Jonesville scheduled for May 21-24 has been cancelled.  Welcome Home Baptist Church, Hebert: Revival, May 21-24. Evangelist: Lyndon Longoria.  Special music: Kerry Longoria.  Pastor: Jim McKeithen. Red River Baptist Association, Coushatta: Red River Crusade, May 21-28. Evangelist: … [Read more...]