By Message Staff NEW ORLEANS – A tornado that touched down in the eastern part of New Orleans Tuesday, Feb. 7, has destroyed Suburban Baptist Church. One of several tornadoes to strike cities in Louisiana, the tornado destroyed the Louisiana Baptist church. Stephanie Friend told the Baptist Message she and her husband, Suburban Pastor Jeffery Friend, were not injured, though their home was heavily damaged. “Praising God for lives spared!!,” Friend posted on her Facebook page. “Devastated at the loss of our church and our home!! Always trusting the one who holds my heart!! Thank you Jesus for your grace and mercy!!!” New Orleans Baptist Association said they are providing a room for the Friends at Providence House, the hotel operated by New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. “Please join us in prayer for churches and families affected by the severe weather in our region today,” the association said in an e-mail. “Early reports tell of severe damage to at least one church, Suburban Baptist, and several homes in New Orleans East.  As soon as we have more information regarding damages and the response of Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, we will communicate requests, as well as material, ministerial, and volunteer … [Read more...]

PINEVILLE – God cares for you, even in the small things of life, Reggie Bridges said during the Feb. 2 chapel service at Louisiana College. Basing his message off the miracle of the floating axe head in 2 Kings 6, Bridges shared with students how God called him from a career in secular education into the ministry. “God cares about you as a student,” said Bridges, vice-chairman of the LC trustees and pastor of Temple Baptist Church in Ruston. “He cares about what you're going thru right now.” All upcoming chapel services, along with a schedule of speakers, can be viewed here. … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer A record Louisiana Life March Central crowd of more than 5,000 turned out to boldly proclaim a simple message - that every life matters. Many held signs such as "Abortion Hurts Women" and "Louisiana Is Preaux Life." Others simply walked alongside their spouses, children or fellow church members. The march began at Louisiana College in Pineville and ended at the amphitheater in downtown Alexandria. "God's people across Cenla showed up in full force today to march for an abortion-free Louisiana," said Brian Gunter, pastor of First Baptist Church in Pollock and organizer of the march. "We exceeded all expectations with over 5,000 people taking a stand for life: I am overwhelmed by how God's people are coming together like never before to fight the greatest evil ever perpetrated upon humanity.  God's people will win the fight to protect every life, and today we made a giant step toward that goal." In his post-rally message, Gunter said the dream of a pregnancy crisis center is closer to reality. By the end of 2017, the center could open. A location will be announced once funding is secured. "We encourage local churches to include Cenla pregnancy center in their missions giving … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer SHREVEPORT – Nearly 900 members of the Northwest Louisiana Baptist Association ended their final days of January by crying out to God to bring revival to a nation becoming increasingly filled with turmoil, according to Lane Moore, director of missions for the Northwest Louisiana Baptist Association. Much like the association’s first Call to Prayer, which was hosted at First Baptist Church Bossier City in January 2016, Moore said this gathering brought together Christians of various ages and ethnicities to pray for law enforcement, the persecuted church, missionaries serving around the world, pastors and other church leaders. The 2017 event at Summer Grove Baptist Church in Shreveport was marked by prayer from the worship center stage, in small groups around the room, and by individuals even in the hallways outside, he described, adding that in the end, participants uniformly described a movement of the Holy Spirit in that place as pleas for revival were lifted up. FRAMING THE NEED During Moore’s opening remarks, he said the culture is desperate for the love of Christ and is watching how believers live. “My desire tonight is that we would not leave this place the same … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer DENHAM SPRINGS – The baptismal waters for the congregation of First Baptist Church Denham Springs were calm for several months following the historic flood of August 2016, but they have stirred once again for the congregation, just not where they would have expected. In December, 10-year-old Elise Hebert stepped into a livestock watering trough at the Denham Springs Junior High School cafeteria and declared her faith in Christ before being plunged beneath the surface in obedience and as a public display of her faith. Despite the dislocation from their church campus, the event was a true homecoming for Elise and her family. Elise, who along with her sister Ann Marie, had just recently returned to Denham Springs after living with their uncle in Maryland for two months immediately following the flood. Pastor Leo Miller told members the baptism was another reminder their future was bright. “It is one thing to have worship and the music in a service to lift you up, but when you see God do things like the ordinance of baptism, it’s a really encouraging reminder  to know God is moving and using difficulties to bring about his plans and purposes,” he told the Baptist Message. During … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer RUSTON – A pizza party and a service focused on sharing the Gospel with youth served as a kickoff for the Harvest, a statewide soul-winning initiative slated for 2017-2018. The event hosted Jan. 24 at Temple Baptist Church in Ruston, as part of the two-day 2017 Evangelism Conference, officially launched Louisiana Baptists’ campaign to “pray for every home and share Christ with every person” in Louisiana. Last year was spent sharing the vision with pastors and developing plans with them. In 2017, more churches will be enlisted, statewide evangelism training will be conducted and different evangelism methods will be piloted, with 2018 dedicated for a strong push for concentrated prayer and soul-winning activities. The cooperative effort will include a diversity of approaches such as multi-church crusades, door-to-door outreach, one-on-one evangelism, single-church revivals and other activities which leverage compassion ministries to share about the love of Christ. PACKED SERVICE Ed Newton, pastor of Community Bible Church in San Antonio, Texas, shared a Gospel message to the packed worship center, which included hundreds of youth. A drama and a “trash can” band from … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor RUSTON ­‑ Speaking to a full crowd in the chapel of Temple Baptist Church, Ruston, Jan. 21, featured speaker Mateo Lopez encouraged the audience of pastors and laymen to be intentional in preparing to reap a harvest through evangelism, and, he emphasized going back to the growth “secrets” of the early church in order to expand the Gospel to the world. Referencing 2 Timothy 4:5, Lopez, a pastor, church planter and teacher at the Indigenous Education Center in Veracruz, Mexico, said believers must be serious about “doing the work of the evangelist.” He said this life emphasis starts with “a personal transformation,” and he implored the crowd to seek the Word and pursue “an attitude of obedience.” Lopez concluded the first general session by referencing Isaiah 6:8 which asks “Who shall we send?” and elicits the response, “Here I am. Send me.” Revisiting this passage with the Baptist Message, Lopez said too often readers think “international missions” when reading this text. But he said it actually reflects the Great Commission’s charge that “as we go” we are to evangelize, baptize and disciple (Mathew 28:18-20). Furthermore, he said, “Acts 1:8 shows the correct order of priority in … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer RUSTON – Many God-fearing parents feel hopeless when their prodigal son or daughter strays from the faith, wondering where they went wrong in raising their child, Phil Waldrep told the crowd gathered for the annual Senior Adult Luncheon at the 2017 Evangelism Conference (ECON), Jan. 24. But the long-time evangelist encouraged listening parents and grandparents that all is not lost. “The very first thing we have to do is say to the Lord, until you show me what I did wrong, I will assume I did nothing wrong and I will not feel guilty anymore,” said Waldrep, who in 1980 with his wife Debbie, started the Phil Waldrep Evangelistic Association. “When you can make that decision, victory begins to come and you are in a position of strength to make other decisions.” The author of “Reaching Your Prodigal: What Did I Do Wrong? What Do I do Now?” Waldrep said some parents may question the meaning of Proverbs 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Waldrep said the verse does not teach perfect parenting will equate to perfect children. “You can be the world’s greatest parent and still have a child who is prodigal and … [Read more...]

By Will Hall & Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message RUSTON —Wayne Jenkins said in years past his team had tried other Convention-wide initiatives, but nothing with the focus of the newly launched Harvest campaign to “pray for every home and share Christ with every person” in the state. Moreover, the Louisiana Baptist Convention evangelism and church growth director said this cooperative effort is special because he truly believes Louisiana Baptists “have the ability to achieve these goals” ­‑ and he said the harvest of salvations that resulted from Louisiana Baptists 2017 Evangelism Conference is promising. Ed Newton led a kickoff for Harvest 2017-2018, aimed at youth, during the first day’s evening session of ECON 2017. After a pizza social at Temple Baptist Church, Ruston, Jan. 23, Ed Newton presented a message emphasizing the Gospel to hundreds of young people who were part of a packed worship center. “Heaven is real,” said Newton, pastor of Community Bible Church in San Antonio, Texas. “Life is short. Jesus is good, and, He desires to save you right where you’re at.” Without believing in Christ, Newton said, the future is hopeless. But he emphasized no one had to remain trapped in that spiritual … [Read more...]