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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

“Pistol” Pete Maravich: the man, the mystery and the miracle

By Ron F. Hale, Minister of Pastoral Care & Senior Adults, West Jackson Baptist Church Looking back, his remark is eerie – part premonition, a pinch of predestination, and a pint of paradox. In 1973, Andy Nuzzo, a reporter for the Beaver County (PA) Times, asked 25 year-old Pete Maravich a question. Pete said, “I don’t want to play 10 years in the NBA and die of a heart attack at 40.” On January 5, 1998, the reported last words of Pete Maravich were, “I feel great!” Maravich, the greatest scorer in NCAA college basketball history, and ten-year veteran of the NBA, was 40 years old when he collapsed to the gym floor. The man with a thousand moves, the Houdini of the hardwood, was dead within seconds. His haunting self-defeating prophecy feeds the mystery. James Dobson of Focus on the Family had flown Maravich to Pasadena, California, to speak on his national radio show. Dobson arranged for a friendly pickup basketball game at Pasadena’s First Church of the Nazarene before the work began. Ralph Drollinger, the 7-foot-2 former UCLA center was also invited to play. Taking a quick break after 40 minutes of play, Dobson and Maravich were talking and walking off the court. Out of the blue Pete fell to the floor like a … [Read more...]

Spinney vows to carry torch as LBC president

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer HAUGHTON – Gevan Spinney knows the challenges that lie before him as the new president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention. But despite what the future holds, Spinney believes the best days are yet to come for the 1600 churches that make up the state convention. “I see an opportunity and an open door to build upon that which has been battled for in our past,” said Spinney, pastor of First Baptist Church in Haughton. “There are aspects of this position in which I feel inadequate, but I do know who God calls, He will also equip.  I am excited to see God’s plan unfold.” Spinney is assuming the role that outgoing LBC President Steve Horn held for two terms. During his term, Horn called for several called days of prayer in different areas of the state and spearheaded a pastor-driven campaign to increase Cooperative Program giving through the Pledge. In Horn’s term, messengers adopted the 2020 initiative that seeks to reach every generation and every people group in the state with the Gospel by the year 2020. The 2020 initiative was a collaborative effort of 20 teams made up of 20 members each that began under the leadership of Waylon Bailey, LBC president before Horn. Spinney … [Read more...]

Horn looks back on his two years as LBC president

By Philip Timothy, Message Managing Editor LAFAYETTE – His presidency was defined by challenges but tempered by encouragement. Through it all, though, he led the way by example. Over the last two years, Steve Horn, pastor of First Baptist Church of Lafayette, faithfully served Louisiana Baptists as president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention in which he faced significant cultural and financial challenges. But in typical Horn fashion he took each one head on relying on God’s Holy Word and providence. His term officially ended at the LBC’s 168th annual meeting Nov. 10th. “I want to first of all to say thank you Louisiana Baptists for allowing me to serve these last two years,” said Horn. “The greatest blessing I received during this time has been strengthened relationships and some new relationships. “I also want to say thank you for responding to the challenges facing our convention, our state and our country,” he continued. “Many of you responded to my challenge to come and pray with me corporately and individually in 2014. “In 2015, you once again responded by taking ‘The Pledge’ toward increasing giving to the Cooperative Program,” said Horn. “I look with great anticipation to see how God blesses your renewed … [Read more...]

God’s protective hand evident as EF1 tornado roars past Peniel Baptist Church

By Philip Timothy, Managing Editor CALCASIEU – Pastor Courtland Stokes and his wife believe they may have witnessed a “Christmas miracle’ Dec. 21 after a brush with an EF1 tornado. The couple had just finished watching the 5 o’clock news and thought the severe weather watch had passed without incident when limbs started to hit the house. They scrambled into their bathroom and shut the door. “We hadn’t been in there but a moment when we heard the wind,” said Stokes, who is pastor of Peniel Baptist Church in Calcasieu. “It sounded like a lot of people screaming at the same time in the same pitch. It was very loud. The next thing we knew we felt something slam into the house and then it was gone. “We stepped out of the house,” he said. “Our carport, a small shed and some metal posts buried two to three feet in the ground in concrete were gone. The storm had just ripped them out of the ground. Our car was also under that carport but amazingly it did not have a scratch on it.” The same could not be said for 54-year-old Mike Smith, who is a member of Peniel Baptist, or his trailer which rested a short distance from the parsonage. “As we were surveying the damage to our carport, we looked out and saw Mike’s trailer,” … [Read more...]

Judge declines to issue injunction in lawsuit by Vintage Church

By Philip Timothy, Managing Editor METAIRIE – A judge declined to issue a preliminary injunction Dec. 22 against the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and Jefferson Parish over a dispute regarding sound levels during Sunday worship service conducted by Vintage Church. The church which is temporarily meeting in a tent filed a lawsuit accusing Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand and his officers of intimidation tactics in an attempt to shut down weekly worship services because of noise complaints by a sing individual, and the suit also described the noise level ordinances as flawed. The Liberty Institute, a non-profit law firm which focuses on religious liberty issues, plans to appeal the ruling immediately. “We have already begun working toward an appeal and we are optimistic we will prevail in the end,” said Justin Butterfield, senior counsel for Liberty Institute. “We respectfully disagree with the court’s decision,” said Butterfield, “because as the parish official acknowledged, this ruling could lead to pastors being arrested or the church being shut down. That is unquestionably a substantial burden on the church’s religious freedom.” The tent, erected in August, is intended to be a short term arrangement … [Read more...]

Pre-teen girls plan Christmas market to benefit IMB

By Marilyn Stewart, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS – When Jay and Elizabeth Terrill decided to forego Christmas gifts to each other and instead give the money to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, they knew their family could do more. Their daughter Mollie, 11, along with cousin, Lexi Cole, 11, had an idea: a Christmas Market craft fair to benefit the International Mission Board. With the recent IMB financial/personnel cuts in mind, the girls enlisted the help of their church – Gentilly Baptist Church, New Orleans – and set a goal of $1,000 for the December 5 fair. With donated crafts, baked goods, garden plants and other items for sale, the fair netted $1,067. “I was so excited,” said Pam Cole, grandmother of the two girls. “For them to have other people on their hearts at this time of the year was what was so special to me. They wanted to give and help the missionaries stay on the field.” Staged less than a month after the girls approached pastor Ken Taylor with the idea, the event drew in nearly 80 in attendance, said Dennis Cole, associate pastor and the girls’ grandfather. Taylor and Cole are both serve as professors at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Pre-teen aged girls at the church made … [Read more...]

Kelley to grads: ‘God with us’ changes everything

By Marilyn Stewart, NOBTS Communications NEW ORLEANS (BP) -- New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary President Chuck Kelley pointed to Christ's birth and the meaning of Emmanuel during the seminary's Dec. 19 graduation ceremony. "'God with us' changes everything," he told graduates. Speaking to a class of 224 candidates, Kelley began his charge by noting that some members would soon be going into places too dangerous to name publicly. "This is a day of great joy but also a day of sobering reality," Kelley said. He noted the importance of the day "because of what we see in the world around us." Kelley explained that the course of history is marked by pivotal, epic-making moments. Kelley pointed to the Battle of the Bulge in WWII where German forces broke through the Allied line but were held back by American paratroopers long enough to allow Gen. George S. Patton, Jr. to reposition his tanks, and ultimately secure victory. "It was an epic moment," Kelley said. "That's what happened when Jesus came into the world." 'God with us' matters because nothing can come against the believer committed to God, Kelley said. There are no dead ends where God leads, he explained. "'God with us' changes everything," Kelley … [Read more...]

Trinity Baptist-affiliated school giving adults brighter future

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – A high school for adults age 19 and older operated by a Louisiana Baptist church has received state approval to operate as a non-public school. The move now allows students to take advantage of financial aid that was not available before this year and positions the school for a brighter future, school leaders say. “It’s a ministry for us,” said Dan Davis, director of the year-round school. “There is a need and I believe if there is a need, there’s a ministry. There’s a need to give adults a chance at an alternative to the GED program. Plus, we’re giving them the gospel.” Located at Trinity Baptist Church in Pineville, the year-round school allows students who lack anywhere from a few credits to a few years of high school to attend classes and take a test to earn their high school degree. The school charges a maximum tuition of $665 for the entirety a student is enrolled. A new student can enroll every eight weeks. Two years after opening its doors, Trinity High School saw the first graduates in 2005. The school has been operating as a Christian accredited entity but in June received non-public school approval by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary … [Read more...]