ON THE MOVE James Brantley, wife Letha, Bryan is the new pastor at Mt. Hope Baptist Church, Oakdale. Joe Dunn retires as senior pastor from Bethlehem Baptist Church, Albany. Kimberly, husband Wes, Aguillard is the new Children’s Minister at First Baptist Church, Pineville. Jerry Elgin is the interim pastor at Pilgrim Home Baptist Church, Benton. Ryan Perry resigns as youth pastor at Trinity Heights Baptist Church, Shreveport. Bill Stroud is the new pastor at Caddo Prairie Baptist Church, Hosston. Susan, husband Steve, Brown is the new children’s minister at Eastwood Baptist Church, Haughton. Wayne Dubose is the interim pastor at Cook Baptist Church, Ruston John Lary is the new pastor at Calvary Baptist Church, Shreveport. Ryan Sidhom resigned as youth pastor at First Baptist Church, Vivian. IN REMEMBERANCE Nathan Dyer, 82, died May 10. He was employed with the Louisiana Baptist Convention from Jan. 1, 1981 until his retirement on June 30, 1998. He served as an Associate Maintenance Director at Tall Timbers. Please be in prayer for his family. HOMECOMING Faith Baptist Church, Livingston: 26th Homecoming and a 10th anniversary celebration of Trey Cowell as pastor, May 29 at 10:30 a.m. A reception will follow morning … [Read more...]

By Holly Jo Linzay, Regional reporter PINEVILLE – Excitement soared as contenders in the state Bible Drill competition lined up, listened as a Scripture reference was called out, furiously flipped pages in their Bibles and stepped forward ready to respond. “You can see a passion for the Word in these students’ competing, and seeing that fires up my spirit,” said Jennifer Thomas, who was attending the State Tournament for Youth and High School Bible Drill & Speakers’ Tournament for the first time. This year’s event was held April 30 at First Baptist Church in Pineville. The Bible Drill competition is part of a discipleship program designed to assist youth in developing useful skills and knowledge of the Bible. During the tournament, participants compete in tests of their knowledge about the books of the Bible, basic Scripture references, different approaches to the plan of salvation and Scripture references relating to key beliefs and doctrinal convictions. Chloe Whitehead, a ninth-grade student from First Baptist Church in Gonzales, has competed for the last six years in the Bible Drill tournament. “It’s been a fun way to learn the Scripture and to have the answers for different questions that even I have had growing up,” … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer WOODWORTH – Louisiana Baptists are being asked to commit to a massive two-year evangelism initiative that could be the largest joint effort ever by the denomination to share the Gospel. WIN THE STATE During the Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board’s spring meeting at Tall Timbers Conference Center, state leaders announced a Harvest Initiative whose end goal is involve at least 700 churches to pray for and share Christ with every household in Louisiana. “The spiritual impact could be enormous,” said Wayne Jenkins, evangelism and church growth director for Louisiana Baptists. “It could be the thing God could use for a genuine awakening in the life of our state. “If 700 churches would get involved, it would create a greater concern for the lost, create a greater impact in our local churches for wining people for Christ and better discipleship, and create a greater excitement in the life of the church. What would it be like if we could say at the end of 2018 we have prayed for and shared with every dwelling place in Louisiana the Gospel? The thought of what could happen is exciting.” PILOT & PREPARE After spending 2016 planning and enlisting leaders and churches, and using … [Read more...]

BATON ROUGE – Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry announced he would vigorously defend the state and its citizens from unlawful action threatened by the Obama Administration’s recent mandate that public schools allow students to use bathrooms and locker rooms of the opposite sex. In a letter to the leaders of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, Board of Regents, Louisiana High School Athletic Association, Louisiana School Boards Association, Louisiana Community and Technical College System Board, and Office of Juvenile Justice – Landry asserted the administration’s threat to remove the state’s Title IX monies jeopardizes the safety of the student body and creates a public education funding crisis. “Let me be perfectly clear, President Obama and his appointees do not have legal authority to require our children to share locker rooms and bathrooms with children of the opposite sex,” wrote Landry. “The administration’s interpretation of Title IX constitutes an improper attempt to commandeer state-owned property in pursuit of a federal policy that has uniformly been rejected by the federal courts.” “The policy position adopted by the Obama Administration irresponsibly creates an environment in which children may be … [Read more...]

NATCHITOCHES – Danny R. Von Kanel, a member of Trinity Baptist Church in Franklinton, received the Natchitoches Rotary’s “Service Above Self” award at their monthly meeting May 3rd. Over a five-year period, Von Kanel has raised $28,0000. Money raised was used to award a $192 scholarship to students who took one of 12 fine classes offered after school at the L.P. Vaughn School of Fine Arts in Natchitoches, which he directs. This year, he led the school to raise $15,582 through sponsorships and a brick memorial fundraiser. During the award presentation, Von Kanel said he was “totally overwhelmed. What a wonderful way to be honored.” Von Kanel has lived in Franklinton since 2002 and was minister of music at First Baptist Church there from 2002-2005. He also served as minister of music at Memorial Baptist Church in Bogalusa from 2005-2008. He and his wife, Beverly, has two grown sons and six grandchildren. … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer An order by the Obama administration that public schools and universities permit transgender students to use restrooms and locker rooms that correspond to the gender identity of their choosing has drawn opposition from many Louisiana Baptists. Issued on Friday, the order signed by Department of Education and Justice officials threaten to pull federal funding for schools that do not comply. A letter on the matter was sent to all school districts in the U.S. “Schools have a responsibility to provide a safe and nondiscriminatory environment for all students, including transgender students,” the letter said. “Harassment that targets a student based on gender identity, transgender status, or gender transition is harassment based on sex, and the Departments enforce Title IX accordingly. If sex-based harassment creates a hostile environment, the school must take prompt and effective steps to end the harassment, prevent its recurrence, and, as appropriate, remedy its effects. A school’s failure to treat students consistent with their gender identity may create or contribute to a hostile environment in violation of Title IX.” The letter said a school can provide separate facilities based on the … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message WINNSBORO - Memorial services for Pastor Joel Senn, 63, of Rayville will be held at 10 a.m., May 16 at Crockett Point Baptist Church in Winnsboro, with Eddie Wren and Robert Warren officiating under the direction of Brown-Holley Funeral Home in Rayville Senn was born Feb. 25, 1953 in Rayville and passed away Friday, May 13, 2016 in Rayville. A member of the Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board and the Pledge Leadership team,. Mr. Joe was a member of the Louisiana Baptist Convention Properties, Executive Board, and the Pledge Leadership Program. Casey Johnson, pastor of Bonita Road Baptist Church in Bastrop and a former staff member at Crockett Point, wrote this on his Facebook page, “Words cannot express my heart. There are feelings of sadness, yet feelings of joy. The Apostle Paul said it best, "To live is Christ and to die is gain." His heart was to be with his people but he understood the glory that awaited him … glory that is indescribable. A glory that I heard Joe Senn speak of during the years of I spent in ministry with him. “Yesterday, that indescribable glory became His own,” Johnson continued. “His faith has now been made sight. His presence will be missed but his legacy lives … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message CROWVILLE -- Joe Senn, the pastor of Crockett Point Baptist Church in Crowville, passed away today according to the church’s Facebook page. “Please pray for our church. Bro. Joe Senn went to his heavenly reward this afternoon,” read the Facebook post. “Pray for his wife, Brenda and his children and grandchildren.” Pastor Craig Beeman, pastor of First Baptist Winnsboro, and Bodie Spicer, pastor of Faith Baptist Church in Bastrop, confirmed Senn’s passing asking for prayers for him, his family and his church. Both men are trustees for the Louisiana Baptist Message. “It appears Brother Joe passed away today,” said Beeman. “Pray for the Joe Senn Family. Also, please be in prayer for Crockett Point.” Spicer added, “Praying for Crockett Point Baptist Church and for Brother Joe’s family.” Crockett Point’s pastor for the past 16 years, Senn, a former evangelist, was preparing to lead revival services beginning Sunday at Mineral Springs Baptist Church in Dubach. He spent more than 30 years in ministry. When Senn took over in 1990, the church had fewer than 100 people. But in 15 years, he has helped the congregation to more than 250 participating at Sunday morning worship. In 2015, Crockett Point … [Read more...]