By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Messengers to the 2025 Louisiana Bap­tist Convention Annual Meeting, Nov. 11, held in the Randolph Riverfront Center, Alexandria, heard encouraging updates from their four entities. LBCHFM Louisiana Baptist Chil­dren’s Home and Family Ministries President and CEO Perry Hancock expressed gratitude to Louisiana Baptists for their support that has im­pacted more than 12,800 children the last two years alone. He updated messen­gers about the Bridges of Hope residential program (that offers short-term care for foster children transitioning into long-term programs), Wom­en’s Learning Center (that helps women obtain high school equivalen­cy diplomas); Orphans Embrace (reaching Hai­ti through a children’s home in that country); Granberry Counseling Centers; Connect1Child (foster care and adoption ministry); and Home­Place (ministry for home­less women and their children). Hancock made special mention of the Com­passion Center which opened four months ago. He said it has served more than 11,000 people and distributed 4,000 Gospel tracts, so far. The 16,000-sq.-ft. facility located on the Monroe campus provides food for 1,200 families each month. “We … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptists enjoyed fellowship and worship during the 2025 LBC Annual Meeting, Nov. 11, hosted by the Randolph Riv­erfront Center, Alexandria. BUDGET APPROVED Messengers approved the 2026 financial plan, based on Cooperative Program contributions of $16,925,460, a decrease of $455,348, or 2.62 percent. Cooperative Program projections are based on ac­tual receipts from August 2024 through July 2025. The allocation formula for distributing CP gifts between Southern Baptist entities and Louisiana Baptist causes remains unchanged, 62.87 percent to support ministries in the state and 37.13 percent forwarded to fund national entities. MOTIONS Messengers considered two motions. A motion by Keith Sheridan, a messenger from First Baptist Church, Franklinton, presented a motion to amend bylaw Article 3, Section 6 concerning the committee on resolutions by adding the sentence “recommended resolutions may not be amended and must be adopted by a two-thirds vote.” The motion was referred to the Executive Board, who will report its findings during the 2026 Annual Meeting. A motion had been made during the 2024 LBC Annual Meeting by messenger … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – During the 2025 Louisiana Baptist Pastors Con­ference, Nov. 10, held in the Randolph Riverfront Center, Alexandria, speakers offered words to encourage pastors. TODD STRAIN Todd Strain, pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Alexandria, spoke during the opening session from Matthew 6:16-18 and encouraged pastors to consider fast­ing. “I believe for us today if we fast before the Lord as He has called us to do, I believe we will experience His power and provision,” he said. Strain shared that fasting, which is mentioned more than 80 times in the Bible, is an expression of our longing for God, that it will be rewarded, and in volves a plan. Strain said that while the reward from fasting is answered prayer, we also will receive His presence by doing so. “More than His provi­sion, we need His presence,” he said. “The reward from fasting is we get His pres­ence. When we have His presence, we have all we need.” Before fasting, Strain said to define a timeframe such as sunup to sundown, decide to give up something like food and find various times to pray throughout each day. “Overall do a heart check,” he said. “What is God calling you to? Are … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – During the 2025 Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, Nov. 11, hosted by the Randolph Riverfront Center, Alexan­dria, Louisiana Baptist Executive Di­rector Steve Horn urged messengers to stay on mission together to reach the 4.6 million people who live in the state. “Let’s stay together so that the world may know that God the Father sent the Son,” he said. “Let’s stay together. This is going to require faith. And this is going to require grace. But staying together is going to result in eternal wins. Louisiana Baptists, let’s stay together.” EVANGELISTIC OPPORTUNTIES Horn encouraged messengers to commit to reach one person for Christ through the North American Mission Board’s new ‘Who’s Your One in a million’ initiative (a twist on the Southern Baptist Con­vention’s entity’s ‘Who’s Your One?’ personal evangelism effort). This concept challenges one million Christ follow­ers to commit to reach just one person with the Gospel. If one million believers commit to this plan, Lou­isiana could see historical numbers of salvations and subsequent baptisms in churches, Horn said. “It’s not just a lofty goal,” he said. “It’s a very doable … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor LAFAYETTE, La. (LBM) — State Rep. Julie Emerson, a member with First Baptist Church, Lafayette, has announced her candidacy for U.S. Senate. “I’m running for the United States Senate because Louisiana deserves a senator who can lead, deliver, and help rebuild America’s confidence,” Emerson said in a news release that announced her candidacy, Oct. 27. “For the first time in years, the future feels brighter than the past.” Emerson will challenge Bill Cassidy, who she said is “the most vulnerable incumbent in the Senate” after he voted to convict President Donald Trump on impeachment charges. “Voters want a strong conservative senator who can get things done — someone focused on results, not rhetoric,” Emerson said. “I’m running to bring home real outcomes for Louisiana: infrastructure investment, new jobs and a seat at the table where decisions get made.” Emerson, R-Carencro, serves as the chair of the House Committee on Ways and Means, and was the first woman to chair a finance committee in the state’s legislative history. Moreover, she has sponsored consequential legislation, including bills to cut state income taxes, provide school choice and to end abortion. … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptists will have the opportunity to join thousands across the world to share the ultimate gift to children in other countries through Operation Christmas Child. Formed in 1993 by Samaritan’s Purse, OCC allows churches and individuals to bring gift-filled shoeboxes to relay stations across the country that are then processed and shipped to local partners around the world with a means of reaching out to children in their communities with the good news of Jesus Christ. National Collection Week is Nov. 17-24. “These gifts open the door for us to share God’s love and the eternal hope of the Gospel with children and their families who are living in desperation and fear,” Samaritan’s Purse President and CEO Franklin Graham said in a statement. “The world is changing, but the message of the cross doesn’t change—bringing the hope of the Gospel to millions, especially the living hope of Jesus. Our mission never changes.” Louisiana Christian University, in its fifth year of participating in OCC, is among those participating in the effort. The school has been selected by Samaritan’s Purse as a university the organization is sponsoring for the … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – The “Here for You” multi-media outreach strat­egy continues to see Gospel fruit according to Louisiana Baptist Director of Commu­nications John Kyle. “The seeds scattered through our ‘Here for You’ campaign are begging to sprout,” Kyle said. Launched statewide in 2019, “Here for You” is attempting to impact the estimated 2.85 million people in Louisiana who do not have a relationship with Christ. Using various media platforms including broad­cast television, streaming services and social media, viewers are directed to a website where they can view a Gospel presentation or search for a local church. Through a partnership with the Billy Graham Evangelis­tic Association, the com­munications team receives a monthly report indicating the number of visitors to the Graham-designed land­ing page, along the with the number of views of the Gospel presentation and how many people indicated a decision for Christ. “In late 2024, we worked out a new follow-up process with the Graham organiza­tion where, roughly every six weeks, we receive the names and email address­es of those who provided enough information to fol­low up,“ Kyle said. “We’ve developed a … [Read more...]