By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer Have you ever thought about participating in international missions? Well, here is your chance and you do not even have to leave the state in order to do so. On July 15, 50 South Korean students (fourth through eighth grade) will arrive in central Louisiana for the start of the annual Camp USA. And more than eight host homes are needed to house the students and their chaperones. A partnership of REACH Missions and the Korea Baptist Church Development Board, the camp will involve 25 churches in three Baptist associations. The children will participate in a Vacation Bible School at Alpine First Baptist Church and spend the afternoons participating in activities such as swimming, skating, English classes and fishing at area churches. After a week in central Louisiana, the campers will depart for southeast Louisiana (Ponchatoula area) where they will spend the remainder of their time. While there, the South Korean youth will participate with American children in a music day camp at First Baptist Church of Ponchatoula. The combined 90-voice choir will present Kidz Under Construction at 6:30 pm July 31 at First Baptist Ponchatoula. Tim Hisaw, pastor of Tioga First Baptist Church, said while … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BASTROP – Faith Baptist Church is in the midst of a four-month revival and there are no signs of it ending anytime soon. Since a city-wide crusade at Bastrop’s Morehouse Activity Center and a revival at the church that took place in January, Faith Baptist has experienced significant growth in both attendance and baptisms. Pastor Bodie Spicer and his members recognize something special is taking place at the Morehouse Association church, and they wait with anticipation each Sunday for how the Holy Spirit will move. “When people start opening themselves to God and start listening and responding to the Holy Spirit and come to church with an expectation of hearing from God, then we see all sorts of miraculous things happen in everybody,” Spicer said. “I pray each week that our worship services get out of hand, out of my hand, and that the Holy Spirit takes over. That’s what I seek every week, and when it happens, it’s very rewarding and very moving. I’ve been pastoring thirty years and some of the most rewarding times of my ministry are right now.” The groundwork for the movement at Faith Baptist began in early January when the church participated in multiple evangelism training sessions … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer EVANS – Two months have passed since her husband unexpectedly died from a heart attack at the same homesite where she was now working as a member of an Illinois Baptist Disaster Relief team. Grabbing a bottled water to quench her thirst in the 90-degree Louisiana heat, Margie Fulkerson fought back the tears as she remembered the day her husband, Don, passed away while helping mud-out a home damaged by several feet of flooding. Gone are the days when the Fulkersons served side-by-side as members of the team from First Baptist Church in Galatia, Ill. The couple, who would have celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary in April, had served on 15 disaster relief trips together since their first assignment in 2012. As emotionally difficult as the decision was to return to work on the same house where her husband passed away  March 29, Margie Fulkerson said returning to finish the job is what Don would have wanted. “He loved this kind of work and always wanted me to come with him,” she said. “I wanted to finish this for him.” Fulkerson returned with seven other members of the team from Illinois. They arrived May 20 and worked through May 27, placing sheetrock, installing insulation and … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer HEBERT – One never knows how or when God will intervene. Kay Vinson, a member of First Baptist Church in Columbia, could see the despair in a young woman’s face as Vinson approached the girl’s vehicle on a Sunday evening in early March. She admitted to Vinson she was thinking about suicide. Vinson said just really did not know what to say, so she just allowed God to speak through her and the distraught woman eventually decided not to end her life. For Vinson it was a vivid reminder how God could use anyone for His Glory. The situation unfolded in early March, when Vinson and a fellow member of First Baptist Church in Columbia arrived in a driveway and encountered the woman. When the young woman discovered the First Baptist Columbia members were  placing signs in yards as part of the Campaign for Christ effort, she  immediately wanted to visit with them and question them about the hope they found in Jesus. Vinson said the woman described herself as a believer who had strayed away from her faith. The woman shared about her failed marriage and two previous attempts to commit suicide and she was contemplating trying a third time. When the conversation ended, the woman expressed her … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer COLUMBIA – The presidential race is in full swing, but one Louisiana Baptist church is in the midst of a campaign that reaps eternal results. Since February, members of First Baptist Church in Columbia have placed signs in the front lawns of homes and businesses in the parish. Based on 2 Corinthians 5:20, the Campaign for Christ is intended to remind believers they are representatives of Jesus. “If we’re Christians, we’re ambassadors,” said Pastor Eric Harriman. “The signs have no church name on it because it’s a campaign for Christ, not a campaign for First Baptist. If you believe you are on campaign for Christ, if you’ll let us put a sign in your yard, it will remind you when you leave and when you come home that you’re an ambassador for Christ.” The idea was born during a weekly Monday evening men’s Bible study at the church. Some men who had run for political office before told Harriman that during their individual campaigns, they had visited 95 percent of the homes in Caldwell Parish. Harriman concluded that  if someone campaigning for office could visit nearly every home in an effort to get elected, First Baptist Columbia could do the same thing in an effort to spread the hope … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer COVINGTON – The new worship center under construction at First Baptist Church Covington is a project 15 years in the making. Once complete, the southeast Louisiana congregation believes the new facility will provide a space to reach their growing community for generations to come. Scheduled for completion in mid-2018, the worship center will seat up to 2,400 people. That’s a far cry from the capacity of 1,250 in its current facility. When the church moved from its location in downtown Covington in 2001, Pastor Waylon Bailey said much of the area was mostly undeveloped. As they began exploring possible locations for a move, a leader in St. Tammany Parish advised the church against moving to the present location, saying he believed the growth was headed in another direction. But, church leaders continued to be drawn to the 43-acre site where the church stands today. Fifteen years later, the church is surrounded by restaurants, storefronts, schools and homes. Bailey said when he thinks about the 2001 move from the previous 2 ¼ acres of land with 50 parking spaces to the present spacious campus which  has 1,000 parking spaces – with an additional 500 to be added – he is thankful they … [Read more...]

ON THE MOVE Ron Nation is new as pastor at Unity Baptist Church, Deville. Chuck Evans is new as pastor at Zion Hill Baptist Church, Dry Prong. Elliot, wife Suzi, Kahn new as staff director at Acadian Baptist Center, Eunice. Stephen Richardson retires from Colfax Baptist Church, Colfax. In addition to Colfax and several other churches, he has served in the ministry for 46 years. Caleb Willis is the new minister of music at Fairview Baptist Church, Coushatta. IN REMEMBERANCE Perry Webb, Jr., 91, of Natchitoches, passed away May 14. Services were held May 21 at First Baptist Church, Natchitoches. A private graveside service, under the direction of Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home, will be held prior to the memorial service. Webb served as a Baptist minister for 74 years. He began his pastoral ministry as a seminary student, serving a country church in East Central Illinois. Webb went on to pastor First Baptist Church, Poteet, Texas (1949-1952); First Baptist Church, Natchitoches (1952-1964); First Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia (1964-1975); and First Baptist Church, Baton Rouge (1975-1988). He served on the Louisiana Baptist Executive Board as secretary, vice chairman and president. He was President of the Louisiana Baptist … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor When the Louisiana legislature passed measures during a special session earlier this year to close the gap in the state budget, lawmakers targeted a number of transactions that included activities of local churches. The Louisiana Baptist Convention consulted with attorneys and tax experts to develop guidance on how these apply to congregations and associations pertaining to such areas as: Fundraisers (cake sales, auctions, golf tournaments and sponsorships) Admission and registration fees for conferences Food banks and clothing stores Snack shop and bookstore sales These changes are effective immediately; however, a second special legislative session will convene June 6 specifically to address some of the tax issues relating to nonprofits. The guidance for churches and associations is posted at https://louisianabaptists.org/tax-changes-louisiana-churches/. Meanwhile, ministry leaders should monitor BaptistMessage.com and LouisianaBaptists.org for updates. Cake Sales Overview:  A member church’s congregation bakes cakes and donates them to the church for sale to the congregation and/or general public. Analysis:  Prior to April 1, 2016, sales of items at a fundraiser event for a … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell,vMessage Staff Writer DEQUINCY – Phelps Correctional Center may not be the first place a person envisions as a place to meet for the National Day of Prayer. But for Paula Mitchell, she couldn’t imagine spending her Thursday evening on May 5 at any other place. Accompanied by Sam Carroll, pastor of Reeves Baptist Church and his wife, Connie, Mitchell spent two-and-a-half hours with about 20 inmates, praying with them for needs that thousands of others around the country did on this important day. “The men that come to the chapel are so hungry for God so they love praying, singing, and hearing Gods word,” said Mitchell, a member of Unity Baptist Church in DeRidder. “We all enjoyed having the privilege of praying together on our nation's day that we come together to ask the Lord's guidance for us, our county and our leaders. “There are no boundaries, inside or outside the walls that God doesn’t hear our prayers,” she said. “He looks for humble hearts, and those men have been so down that they know how to look up and beg for God’s grace, mercy and forgiveness.” Created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the US Congress and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman, the National Day of Prayer is an annual … [Read more...]

By Louisiana Right to Life staff BATON ROUGE -- Thursday, Gov. John Bel Edwards was joined at the Capitol by pro-life advocates as he signed HB 606 into law. HB 606, initiated by Edwards, authored by Rep. Frank Hoffman and carried on the Senate floor by Sen. Regina Barrow, ensures that businesses and organizations that perform abortions cannot receive taxpayer dollars, even for other purposes. At the signing, Edwards reaffirmed his commitment to policies that will encourage health facilities in Louisiana to offer true healthcare rather than getting into the abortion business. "I commend Gov. Edwards for signing this legislation today, and I thank him for asking me to author this important legislation. I also appreciate Sen. Barrow for carrying the legislation on the Senate floor. Louisiana taxpayers should not be asked to give their hard-earned dollars to businesses in our state that sell abortion," said Hoffman. Deanna Wallace, Legislative Director for Louisiana Right to Life, added: "Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, as Cecile Richards admitted last week, plans to sell abortions at their facility in New Orleans. We believe it is a reasonable policy that taxpayer dollars should never benefit those businesses that sell … [Read more...]