By Jamie Stephens, Regional reporter WEST MONROE – As Mount Vernon Baptist Church Youth Pastor Bobby Blasingame lowered 15-year-old Rileigh Norred into a horse trough in front of the church, he believed the significance of her baptism was a very honorable, unique, and special experience. “Over the years and at Mount Vernon I have baptized several people, but I have never had the special privilege of baptizing anyone in a horse trough,” explained Blasingame, “Although it doesn’t matter where a baptism takes place, it’s always a humbling experience to be part of it.” Michelle Norred, Rileigh’s mother, expressed appreciation for Mount Vernon Baptist Church Pastor Randy Burdeaux’s receptive attitude about the special arrangements. “When Rileigh told me that she wanted to be baptized in a horse trough, I thought we would have Bobby come to our house,” Michelle said, “It was great that Brother Randy was so open to the idea and accommodated her.  Our horses are a part of our everyday lives and being able to use that to reveal Rileigh’s decision to surrender her life to Christ was an extra blessing.” “I never knew what a horse trough even looked like until we began planning Rileigh’s baptism,” Blasingame said. “Many of us … [Read more...]

With the need for trained disaster relief volunteers a high priority throughout Louisiana, four locations are hosting training sessions, sponsored by the Louisiana Baptist Convention’s Disaster Relief. Two sessions will take place in Sulphur and Natchitoches Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Houston River Baptist Church in Sulphur will offer mud-out training, where volunteers will learn how to clean out the inside of homes damaged by the flooding. Trinity Baptist Church in Natchitoches will hold mud-out and shower unit training that night as well. The cost is 28 dollars at both locations and includes a hat and shirt. Thursday at 6:30 p.m., Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge will hold mud-out training. The training fee is $22, and includes a hat and shirt. And through Saturday, First Baptist Church in Haughton will host two short sessions each day for walk-up volunteers wishing to minister in Bossier, Caddo and Webster parishes. Pastor Gevan Spinney said the free sessions are at 7 am and noon, and volunteers should come wearing rubber boots. Other equipment will be provided. Over the weekend, 134 volunteers were trained in mud-out, feeding, chainsaw, childcare and ham radio at Temple Baptist Church in Ruston while another … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, LC communications PINEVILLE (LCNews) - Louisiana College’s debate team competed at the inaugural Alvin College Classic International Public Debate Association tournament in both the novice and professional divisions on March 4-5 in Alvin, Texas. LC Debate Coach Brian Manuel took top honors in the professional division, and Stephen Marsalis - a third-year debater and junior history major from Lafayette, Louisiana - was a semifinalist in the professional division. “Louisiana College is one of the oldest organizations on campus, and it owns a winning history,” said Manuel, an adjunct professor at LC and middle school English teacher in Oakdale. “I am deeply proud of our team because they prepared diligently and represented LC admirably. We continue to see improvement in our statistics.” Learning to debate teaches students how to communicate clearly and authoritatively while being persuasive in a cordial manner, Manuel said. “It helps students to be prepared with an answer in most any situation they may face, whether one-on-one, or with colleagues, or even larger audiences.” The next competition for Louisiana College’s debate team will be the National IPDA championship March 31 - April 3 at Lee … [Read more...]

By Tyler Johnson, LC communications PINEVILLE (LCNews) - With music, Bible reading and prayer, Louisiana College opened its March 17 chapel service that featured Jeff Ginn, pastor of Istrouma Baptist Church in Baton Rouge. Ginn outlined his “Growing Old Without Growing Cold” sermon from Joshua 14, saying one must have a strong start, a patient pace, and a fearless finish. Illustrating his entire sermon, Ginn noted Yuichiro Muira, an 80 year-old Japanese man who in 2013 summited Mt. Everest, saying he had the will to strive for success even after growing old. The sermon text indicates Caleb had a strong start because he followed the Lord whole-heartedly throughout his youth. Moses promised land to Caleb and his descendants because of his heart and loyalty to the Lord and despite his lineage to Esau. Ginn said Caleb is an example for today’s young people who should not let others look down on them because of their age. Caleb’s heritage was not powerful or royal, but God used him because God had a plan for Caleb. “Through humble origins God has blessed my life. Despite being told I wouldn’t amount to anything, God has blessed me,” said Ginn, whose parents were sharecroppers. Sprinters work hard for a short period … [Read more...]

By Philip Timothy, Baptist Message Now, the work begins in earnest. While most rivers have crested or are predicted to crest this week, the floodwaters are starting to fall slowly. Behind those flooding waters, disaster relief crews from numerous Louisiana Southern Baptist churches and state DR teams have gone into overdrive to meet the requests and needs of thousands affected by the spring floods of 2016. A massive cleanup effort is taking place in Louisiana. Churches throughout Louisiana have mobilized to deal with the massive disaster and they are being joined in the field by DR teams from 12 states with three more states expected to join the recovery effort in a week or so. “Mudout is the great need right now,” said Northshore Baptist Association’s Director of Missons Lonnie Wascom said. “There are simply too many jobs. The number of mudout/debris removal requests coming into the LBC/SBC Disaster Relief incident command center in Hammond is overwhelming. “There are far more requests than there are trained volunteers who are available to meet those needs,” said Wascom. Louisiana Disaster Relief leaders are reacting quickly to meet the needs for more trained volunteers by holding training at Rolling Hills … [Read more...]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lebDYDctzhQ All is quiet at the Red River Water's Ben Routh Recreational  Area on March 18. Floodwaters from the river have overtaken this picnic area.   … [Read more...]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJHnFV2Mb_o As more floodwaters move southward, the Red River, as seen in this video taken at the Red River Waterway’s John H. Overton Recreation Facility, is raging through and past lock and dam No. 2. The river continues to rise almost a foot a day and is expected to crest at 40.5 feet in Alexandria on Sunday, March 20. As of Friday at 3 p.m. the river stood at 70.3 feet. The river is expected to crest late Sunday or early Monday. … [Read more...]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBPPo1eY4wQ The waters of the Red River have washed ashore to this home in Pineville, which is across the street from the riverfront. The last time the Red River at Pineville and Alexandria went over the 40 foot mark was in April of 1948 when it rose to 45.2 feet. … [Read more...]

By Philip Timothy, Managing Editor As one north Louisiana flood victim said, while surveying the devastation, this week, “This flooding is our Katrina.” “You know he’s right,” Louisiana Baptist Convention’s Men’s and Ministry Director John Hebert said. “In the number of people affected by Katrina and the flooding it is about the same but the flooding far exceeds Katrina geographically.” The Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) estimates more than 11,000 homes have received some type of flood damage. Twenty-six Louisiana parishes have been declared federal disaster areas and additional parishes are expected to be added to this growing list in the days to come. Because of the size of the disaster, Hebert hopes churches respond like they did for Katrina. “Many churches haven’t waited for the water to go down. They have been right there on the front lines since the rains began,” he said. “And we are daily hearing great stories how churches in the affected area have banded together to help each other and to minister to people in their communities. “But a disaster of this magnitude is going to take a herculean effort,” Hebert said, “so I encourage every church, if they are not … [Read more...]

By Brad Welborn, LC sports information director “In Your Name I Pray and Play.” Those seven words are what the people at Coca-Cola Wildcat Field hear over the speakers just before the National Anthem is played and the LC Lady Wildcats softball game gets underway.  Those words spoken by the spiritual leader of the Lady Wildcats, Senior Jade Johnson. Jade is a native of DeRidder, where she attended East Beauregard High School and earned a starting role for the Lady Trojans softball team for coach, and dad, Keith Johnson here eighth grade year.  Like many collegiate and professional athletes Jade started playing softball when she was about 6-years old on Little League teams, then on travel ball teams during the summer, high school and now at Louisiana College. “ My dream when I was in 6th grade was to play college ball at Florida under Tim Walton and go to the Olympics, but of course that’s every 6th grade softball players dream.” Johnson said. After deciding to stay closer to home and getting the opportunity to play at Louisiana College, Jade has become one of the central figures in the Lady Wildcats dugout more so than on the field since injuries have sidelined her for much of her career, even through high school.  First … [Read more...]