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 missions: … [Read more...]

By Philip Timothy, Managing Editor ALEXANDRIA–Despite five confirmed tornadoes, Louisiana was not pummeled as badly as its neighbors over the weekend as a strong storm system swept across the south. In Texas and Oklahoma strong winds and a severe ice storm crippled the area while to the east a rash or tornadoes left a swath of multiple deaths – 18 fatalities with scores injured in Mississippi and Georgia – and destruction costing millions in its wake. The enormous storm system which blew through Louisiana Jan. 21, left trees uprooted, destroyed homes and trailers, toppled power lines, snapped trees in two, and injured several people. Gibbie McMillan, Disaster Relief director for the Louisiana Baptist Convention, said no teams were being dispatched to these areas in the state as local communities had already begun the clean-up process. However, five teams – three to Petal, Miss., and two more to Woodward, Okla., -- were being dispatched. “We are sending chainsaw, blue tarp and debris removal crews to Mississippi,” he said. “Mike Shumock, who is from the Hattiesburg area and is helping us with the rebuild here in the state, is leading those volunteers to Mississippi.” McMillan said the devastation is significant, … [Read more...]

ON THE MOVE Mike Smith resigns as pastor of Brookwood Baptist Church, Shreveport. Mark Cole is the new NextGen pastor at First Baptist Church, West Monroe. Ed Baldwin is the new pastor at Sharp Baptist Church, Lena. Josh Eliff is the pastor at First West, Calhoun. David Brown is the pastor at Refuge Church, Monroe. REVIVAL First Baptist Church, Patterson: Revival, Jan. 29-Feb. 1, Sunday, 10:30 a.m.; Sunday evening thru Wednesday, 6 p.m. Evangelist: The Lisembys. Pastor: Michael D. Reichard, Jr. Sugartown Baptist Church, Sugartown: Revival, Feb. 2-5, Thursday thru Saturday, 7 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. Evangelists: The Lisembys. Social Springs Baptist Church, Ringgold: Harvest Sunday, Jan 29.  Evangelist: Sam Moore. Pastor: James Hester. Pilgrims Rest Baptist Church, Spearsville: Revival, Feb 5-8. Evangelist: Sam Moore. Pastor: Adam Hill. Wilda Baptist Church, Gardener: Revival, Feb. 8-12. Evangelist: Lyndon Longoria. Pastor: Joey Rudisill. LAGNIAPPE Earnest Little is available for interim or supply.  Call 318.663.2770. The Evangeline Baptist Association is recognizing Wallace Primeaux on his 90th birthday at the end of January. Primeaux is the former Director of Missions for Evangeline and Gulf … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell. Message staff writer LEESVILLE – Shortly before Christmas 2016, Sherry Slaydon gave her daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren a priceless gift – the opportunity to celebrate her new life in Christ by being present at her baptism. “I pray watching their grandma proclaim her love for God was an inspiration to them,” she said. “I had people tell me I had a glow afterward … words can’t describe the feeling.” Now, she is anxious to share the Good News that changed her heart with others, too. Slaydon was among 77 people East Leesville Baptist baptized in 2016, adding up to a combined three-year total of 205. Rarely does a Sunday pass when Pastor Jeff Smart or another staff member is not baptizing someone. “We are so used to baptisms every week that it’s something our church looks forward to every Sunday,” Smart shared, saying baptisms reflect the heartbeat of the congregation – evangelism. God even uses baptisms for still more evangelism, he said. “I tell those who are getting baptized that they are telling their story of how Christ has changed their life,” Smart said. “Someone who isn’t saved sees that and they might accept Christ – which has happened numerous times.” The heartbeat of … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer RUSTON – Sensing a prompting of the Holy Spirit during the final session of the Louisiana Baptist Evangelism Conference, church planter Vance Pitman issue an altar call to anyone willing to pray for and share Christ with every home in the state. In the end, dozens of people came forward inside the Temple Baptist Church worship center to accept a massive challenge called the Harvest Initiative that Pitman said appears to seem an impossible task. But as he told pastors and others during his message Tuesday evening, Jan. 24, the same God who moved in the early church more than 2,000 years ago is the same God who is on the move today. “It’s a massive goal - every home, every person,” Pitman said. “I can’t imagine a church not wanting to be a part of that.” Throughout the next two years, 700 Louisiana Baptist churches will be challenged to “pray for every home and share Christ with every person” in the state. After spending 2016 to plan and enlist leaders and churches and using 2017 to conduct statewide evangelism training and pilot different methods, Louisiana Baptists will join together across the state in 2018 in prayer events and intentional soul-winning activities. The … [Read more...]

By Message Staff RUSTON – History was made during the opening session of the 2017 Evangelism Conference Monday evening, Jan. 23. Standing before a packed worship center at Temple Baptist Church, Ed Newton presented the Gospel to hundreds of youth and adults, as well as many other youngsters watching his message via a livestream broadcast in the first-ever student night. In the end, around 50 made a decision at Temple Baptist Church alone, including 12 first-time decisions. Numbers from additional sites broadcasting Newton's message were not known immediately. “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.” Newton emphasized that each person is one step away from spending eternity in either heaven or hell. Without believing in Christ, Newton said, their future in heaven is hopeless. “Right where you’re at, Jesus could step out of heaven and step into your heart,” he said. “We’re all one step away from eternity. What will you do with Jesus?” In addition to Newton’s message, student night also featured drama and a “trash can” band from Philadelphia Baptist Church in Deville, a combined choir … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – The teasing by his fellow classmates cut deeply into the spirit of the 8-year-old diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. The more they hurled insults at Kenneth Moore for how he walked and talked, the more his resentment toward God grew. “If Jesus healed the blind, deaf and lame, why would a compassionate God not do the same with him?” he would ask himself. Life seemed unfair, Moore recounted to the Baptist Message. But, during a message he heard while attending a Sunday worship service at Melville Baptist Church in Ponchatoula, he said, God softened his heart of stone and removed the hatred he had been harboring, and, gave him peace. “Although the teasing and laughing by some classmates continued, I embraced the fact that God loved me enough to send Jesus to die for me,” said Moore, now pastor of Carmel Baptist Church in Pineville, in a blog. “I still did not understand many things about God, but I began to learn that trusting Him is the pathway to peace; peace between Him and you, as well as within yourself.” Moore’s encounter with the Holy Spirit on April 23, 1982, marked the beginning of a spiritual journey that continues to enrich his relationship with Jesus … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – The first-born is always a special blessing to parents and, for Louis and June Charrier, Nicole is no exception. Born Feb. 21, 1980, Nicole was a healthy baby girl, bubbling with excitement, and charming her parents, family and friends, alike, the Charriers said. A month later, tragedy struck and her life dramatically changed. Some said Nicole “took a turn for the worse,” but not Louis and June. June was a half-mile from their home, she told the Baptist Message, when she and Nicole were involved in a serious automobile accident. Momma escaped with minor injuries, but her daughter sustained a severe head trauma, causing her to go blind and leaving her with Cerebral Palsy-like symptoms: She was unable to speak, walk or eat without assistance. Now at age 36, Nicole still is unable to do anything for herself. Yet, she has impacted a number of others for Christ. Louis explained that Nicole requires in-home care, giving him and June the opportunity to share Christ with Nicole’s medical team. Health professionals come to the house to tend to Nicole’s physical needs, he said, and they leave having received a Gospel presentation and attention to their spiritual … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor ALEXANDRIA – Take a good look at Jacob Barker Hall. Whether in person or by photo it’s hard not to see his bright eyes and engaging smile and not know the joy and the zest that define this 19-year-old’s life. His speech and his physical awkwardness give glimpses of his Down syndrome, but any signs of motor or mental difficulty are overshadowed by the special person he is as a child of God. Jacob is a great name for my youngest son. Roughly translated into “supplanter,” a more practical definition for his personality would be “steals the show,” but not in a bad way. He showers others with love and encouragement, likely to say “good job” loudly to the choir or the pastor (along with a visible “thumbs up”) – without concern for when he says it during the service (I finally figured out it’s his way of saying “amen”). He runs to give hugs to old and young alike, but he especially delights in carefully approaching a baby, gently cupping his hands along the child’s jawline and slowly, tenderly stroking forward until the heels of his palms meet at the baby’s chin. His affection is authentic and so are his prayers, and he’s likely to pray anytime, anywhere. One of the most memorable times was … [Read more...]