By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Matt Cate, discipleship pastor with Istrouma Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, has been tasked with a new mission: to champion discipleship on a state-wide level. Cate, whose first day as Louisiana Baptist Sunday school/discipleship strategist was April 20, said he is excited to work with churches toward the goal of helping others become disciples and then in turn make disciples. “My philosophy of discipleship is pretty much Matthew 5 to 10, where Jesus reached large groups with the Sermon on the Mount, and then also smaller groups with His disciples,” Cate told the Baptist Message. “One of the parts we often look over in discipleship is that Jesus eventually sends them out. And I am going to help Louisiana Baptists accomplish that.” The son of an Air Force master sergeant, Cate moved with his family around the country as a youngster. During a youth Bible study taught by his parents, Ed and Linda Cate, at Cannon Air Force Base chapel in Clovis, New Mexico, Cate trusted in Christ at age 10. He sensed a call to ministry nine years later while at a discipleship group at First Baptist Church, Bossier City. Six other young men in that group, too, … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff SHREVEPORT, La. (LBM) – Lane Moore, Northwest Louisiana Baptist Association Mission Strategist, asked for prayers after an individual killed eight children in a domestic violence incident in Shreveport early April 19. “This is tragic evidence of the complete breakdown of the nuclear family in our society, coupled with the inability to resolve disagreements without resorting to violence,” Moore told the Baptist Message. “The answer is not passing another law, but the Church, the true Body of Christ, presenting a model for what a godly home should look like and raise Christ-like men to be the protectors and providers of the home, not a threat to the home. But today, church leaders will pray and give counsel to the hurting as the community pulls together as everyone tells their children and grandchildren how much they love them.” According to the Shreveport Police Department’s Facebook page, the children ranging from ages one to 14 were killed inside a home in the 300 block of West 79th St. in Shreveport on Sunday morning. Additionally, two adult females were treated at a local hospital for serious injuries. A teenage victim also sustained injuries during the incident, but police indicated those … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Opening the Louisiana Senate with prayer, Kirk Jones, president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention and pastor with Fellowship Church, Prairieville, asked God to give wisdom, strength and safety to these state leaders. “Father God, we thank you for this day,” he prayed. “I thank you for these who serve the people of Louisiana. Lord God, your Word tells us that if anyone lacks wisdom, that we can ask you for it and you will give it to us graciously. So, Lord, I know that they need wisdom and guidance and insight into the things that they’re deciding. So Lord, I pray that you would provide that for them. “Give them the strength and stamina to do the job,” Jones continued. “Lord God, I pray that you would watch over them and keep them. I pray that they would be able to hear your voice in the midst of all the things that they’re working on and doing. “Lord, I know there’s a lot of voices,” he said. “Father, I pray that they would know the voice of the Shepherd, and the voice of a stranger they would not follow. Lord God, I pray that you would keep watch over their families while many of them are away serving here. Lord, we thank you for the sacrifices they make in that. … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer HOUMA, La. (LBM) – As Artemis II completed its recent 10-day mission that included traveling to the far side of the moon, retired NASA rocket scientist Clifton Arnold reflected about his part in helping make the journey a success. “Seeing the takeoff, landing and photos of the Artemis II mission is one of those moments that brings back memories of decades of hard work,” Arnold, pastor with Mechanicville Emmanuel Baptist Church and Kingdom Life Fellowship in Houma, told the Baptist Message. “A lot of people see the end result of preparation for launch or liftoff, but a lot goes into the years of engineering development and testing before you get to that point. “When you plan it, and it goes as planned, it’s awesome,” he continued. “It’s a great feeling to see all the work you’ve done and all the teams that you’ve led over the years get to that point of launch and landing.” Before retiring from NASA in 2025, Arnold served as program manager with NASA Headquarters in the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance. During his time with NASA, his involvement with Artemis II included project manager for rocket propulsion testing and development, where he managed and oversaw … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer LEESVILLE, La. (LBM) – Approximately 47 people (of a crowd of about 1,000 who attended on "Church Night") responded to a plea to make a decision for Christ during the opening service of the West CENLA GO TELL America Crusade in the Leesville High School football stadium, April 13. At the invitation brought by Rick Gage, founder of GO TELL Crusades in Duluth, Ga., 23 attendees repented and declared Christ as Lord of their lives and another 24 repented for restoration with Christ. Earlier that morning, 10 people turned to Christ after a message to the First Baptist Church, Anacoco, by Ken Freeman, an evangelist from Martindale, Texas, and another five accepted the Lord after a message by Gage to the Good Hope Baptist Church, Anacoco. Additionally, a trustee with the Vernon Parish Jail became a Christ follower while setting up the crusade stage on April 11. After the crusade team had a time of prayer on the football field, a trustee began asking questions about why they prayed and the purpose of the event. Moments later, the trustee placed his faith in Christ and has asked to be baptized soon, according to Chad King, pastor with FBC Anacoco. “It was a great moment … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – As Artemis II captured the nation and world during its journey toward the moon,  Andrew Riddle, an engineer contracted by NASA and a member of First Baptist Church, New Orleans, said the lunar orbit highlighted God's creation. After graduating from Saint Louis University, Riddle moved to New Orleans and began working at Michoud Assembly Center in New Orleans East as a propulsion engineer on the core stage of the space launch system rocket. After almost six years of work, he said that seeing it take off in person from Kennedy Space Center was surreal. FAITH-DRIVEN Riddle said his faith in the Lord plays a part in his appreciation of space and creation. “I’m driven by a desire to better understand creation, like many scientists and explorers throughout history,” Riddle told the Baptist Message. “The night sky especially has always left me in awe of God’s beauty, power and majesty.” He added that the mission has generated renewed excitement by many young people in space exploration. “I love seeing younger people get excited about this new era of exploration,” he said. “My dad grew up during the space race in the sixties and it had a huge impact … [Read more...]