By Holly Linzay, Regional Reporter PINEVILLE – It is often through pain and persecution that the Lord can work in a person or even birth a ministry. “Your pain is for your progress. Your pain is for a purpose.  But take courage and believe God,” Debbie Stuart, the keynote speaker, urged the women gathered at the Kaleidoscope Conference as she told about how her life related to Paul’s shipwreck experience in Acts 27. Stuart, director of ministry initiatives at Hope for the Heart ministries in Dallas, shared how the “shipwrecks” in her own life led her to minister to women in prison. She opened up about how her son, Jarrad, was arrested and has been incarcerated for the last seven years. “When the two police officers took my son and arrested him, I asked God for divine intervention. I asked God why would He not deliver my son, and He said, ‘I just did,’” Stuart said explaining that God’s ways are not “our” ways and the Lord “appoints shipwrecks” for “His own good reasons.” About 260 women at the conference Feb. 7 at First Baptist Church in Pineville were challenged by Stuart to see God work in the midst of the storms in their lives and to anchor themselves in the Word so they do not abandon hope. Kaleidoscope is a … [Read more...]

ON THE MOVE Israel Montejo is the new pastor of Bethel Hispanic Church, Bernice. Alvin Ogea resigns as pastor at Trinity Baptist Church, Eunice. Don , wife Bea, Thornton retired from the pastoral ministry Dec. 31, 2015 at Waverly Baptist Church in Delhi after 50 plus years in the ministry. HOMECOMING/ANNIVERSARY Beulah Baptist Church, Cheneyville: 200th anniversary, March 6, 9:30 a.m. Pastor: Kenneth Hudson. Calvary Baptist Church, Slidell: 55th anniversary, March 13, 11 a.m. There will be a luncheon after the services. Pastor: Aaron McGuffee. Trinity Baptist Church, Oak Grove: 54th anniversary, March 13. This will also begin our Spring Revival, March 13-16, Sunday, 10:15 a.m.; Sunday evening, 6 p.m., and Monday-Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. Evangelist: Bill Robertson. Music: Ben Waites will provide music Sunday morning while Richard Ainsworth will direct music Sunday evening through Wednesday. Pastor: Rayburn McLarrin. REVIVAL Crockett Point Baptist Church, Crowville: Revival, Feb. 28-March 2, Sunday 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.; Monday-Wednesday, 6:30 p.m. Speaker: Jerry Spence. Music: Mackey Willis Family. Pastor: Joe Senn. Westside Baptist Church, New Iberia: Tent Revival, Feb. 28-March 1, 6 p.m. nightly. Guest … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, Louisiana College Communications PINEVILLE -- Former SBC president Fred Luter preached at Louisiana College's Feb. 18 chapel services as part of the college's observance of Black History month. Luter, pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, spoke from Matthew 26 on "What to do when you don't know what to do." “While in the Garden of Gethsemane on the eve of his crucifixion, Jesus felt sorrow and solitude, but expressed submission and showed strength before his unjust arrest,” Luter said. “What one should do when one does not know what to do "is to learn a lesson from Jesus; go to God in prayer. Several local African American pastors and church members greeted him after the chapel sermon, many taking selfies with the noted pastor. LC students, faculty and staff also met Luter. "Dr. Luter is one among the many who have preached in our chapel services, and yet whose walk with God comes through not so much as a sermon, but as an encouraging testimony to what God has done and will do for all who will follow the Lord," said LC president Rick Brewer. "Louisiana College is serious about the chapel service as it draws the entire LC family together around the word of God fitly preached." … [Read more...]

By Jim Burton NEW ORLEANS — Ryan Rice once despised the church. Then he found love. Growing up in greater New Orleans, an aunt read the Bible to him. Rice found the stories about Jesus fascinating. “I was the kid who raised his hand to answer every Bible question,” Rice said of his early exposure to Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. When he turned 8 years old, his mother married a man who was an abuser and drug user. As a child just discovering the Bible, he learned about the dark side of life, and he asked a big question for a child, “Where is God?” In middle school, his mother dragged him to church. “I remember sitting there and thinking, ‘This is the worst thing ever. I hate church. I hate the people here.’ That was coming from a lot of hurt,” Rice said. That hurt remained as he grew to become a popular and handsome athlete who was the high school student council president. On the outside, Rice appeared to have his life together. “From every aspect of my life, I was empty on the inside,” Rice said. “I was just broken.” Then he met Seane’ Smooth and her father, Andrew Honore. On the first day of his freshman year at Dillard University in New Orleans, he saw Smooth and knew she was special. … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message METAIRIE -- Louisiana appears to have one less abortion facility in operation, as a clinic in Metairie that performs the procedures seems to have closed, at least for now. According to Louisiana Right to Life, Causeway Medical Clinic has been closed for several weeks and some workers were seen on Wednesday cleaning out the building. It is not known if the clinic will reopen at another location. “Over the years, the Causeway Medical Clinic facility has performed thousands and thousands of abortions, killing unborn children and damaging the lives of women and families,” said Louisiana Right to Life Executive Director Ben Clapper. “With alternatives to abortion readily available, we don't need abortion facilities profiting off the destruction of human life. Join me today in remembering the lives lost within that facility, and praying that abortions never resume at that site.” Even with the closure, abortions are still being performed in the adjacent parish at Women’s Health Care Center in New Orleans. Planned Parenthood is building a new $4.2 million, 7,000 square-foot health clinic on South Claiborne Avenue in New Orleans to perform even more abortions not far from Women’s Health Care … [Read more...]

By Marilyn Stewart, NOBTS communications NEW ORLEANS -- Race relations are not better since the election of the first African American U. S. president, but the Church can lead in modeling reconciliation, said Fred Luter, Jr., former Southern Baptist Convention president and the first African American to hold the position. “I really thought this nation was ready to move forward…,” Luter said, pointing to the history-making election of Barack Obama that garnered votes from Anglos as well as diverse ethnic groups. “As much as we needed racial reconciliation in America, I really thought that was the opportunity for our nation to come together and make us one as a nation. But unfortunately…that’s not the case.” The remarks came in a Black History Month video produced by the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in which Luter expressed optimism for the future as the Church leads the way as an agent for social change. Luter is pastor of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church in New Orleans and an NOBTS national alumni association officer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aH5lHuLWc0&feature=youtu.be In analyzing today’s situation, Luter quoted a pastor-friend who states it this way: “America doesn’t have a skin problem, we have … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – There are times when a believer comes to a major crossroads – when God issues an invitation to join Him in what He is doing, will you be willing to trust Him. “It’s a crisis of faith,” Tom Blackaby said. “Will you step forward in faith or step back and say I can’t go there, it will cost too much to follow you? You have to decide – is God God? Is He the truly Lord of your life? If you say yes, you have to make major adjustments in your life.” Blackaby spoke on Feb. 16 at the Louisiana Baptist Building about the seven steps for knowing, doing and experiencing the will of God. His two-day stay in the state for the Experiencing God Tour also included Natalbany Baptist Church before coming to Alexandria. He will also speak at Northwest Louisiana Baptist Association office in Shreveport from 1 to 3:30 pm on Feb. 17. He is the second son of bestselling author Dr. Henry Blackaby. He has written or co-authored numerous books, including The Man God Uses, Experiencing God at Home, and 7 Steps for Knowing, Doing and Experiencing the Will of God. He currently is senior pastor of Brookswood Baptist Church in Langley, British Columbia. Blackaby shared the seven steps for … [Read more...]

By Message Staff The Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home & Family Ministries is warning others about an email sent from a company that is using the ministry for possible solicitation. Children’s Home President and CEO Perry Hancock said he learned that Cornerstone Kingdom Processing had sent out an e-mail, with the subject line “Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home.” He said Cornerstone Kingdom Processing is not endorsed by the Children’s Home and that anyone receiving such an e-mail should disregard the message. Hancock said he called the person who sent the e-mail and notified him to stop sending further messages using the Children’s Home name. “We do not know him and aren’t doing business with him,” Hancock said. “Please delete the e-mail and block the sender.” … [Read more...]

By Norm Miller, LC communications PINEVILLE – LC officials surprised Leon Hyatt and his wife Ann with a birthday cake during the college's February 11 chapel service, which was the day Leon turned 90 years old. Several times Leon served as an LC trustee, and he was a long-time Baptist pastor in Louisiana. Recently, Leon gave his pastoral library of some 6,000 volumes to the college. "Though I have known Leon for a short time, I have a sincere appreciation for his long-standing service to Louisiana Baptists and for his unswerving love for his alma mater," said Dr. Rick Brewer, LC's president. … [Read more...]

Bossier City – Louisiana Family Forum recently honored Louisiana’s top ten longest married couples during a special reception at the Governor’s Mansion on Feb. 12. The longest-known married couples are honored by Louisiana Family Forum each year to encourage individual marriages, build a stronger marriage culture and to remind those in the state that lifelong marriages benefit everyone. Louisiana State Rep. Mike Johnson honored Louisiana's longest known married couple, Lawrence and Varrie Player, during a reception at their home in Benton. They have been married 81 years. A reception also was held for the second-longest married couple, Will Henry and Virgina Teasley, at their home in Bryceland. The couple has been married for 79 years. Each couple was presented an official statement of special recognition from Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards. Their names also are entered into Louisiana Family Forum’s Marriage Hall of Fame. “It is a true delight to honor these two great couples for their examples and their commitment,” Johnson said.  “In a day when the stability of so many marriages and families is in jeopardy, these folks stand out as exceptional models for all of us.” … [Read more...]