By Message Staff GREENWELL SPRINGS – The Greenwell Springs Culture Impact Team has issued an invitation for anyone interested in starting a Culture Impact Team at their church to join them for the Free to Believe conference on Jan. 16. Held at Greenwell Springs Baptist Church, the conference will be part of a national simulcast. The Family Research Council will broadcast the event. “This will be a goal-minded simulcast with a post-event strategy,” according to a news release from Walter “Hank” Hankins. “Our mission is to turn the country and culture back to God and to provide the answer to the question, What can I do to turn this country around?” An RSVP is requested to attend the event by emailing CIT@gsbcla.com. … [Read more...]

NEW ORLEANS - The state's only Southern Baptist seminary held its fall commencement on Dec. 19, with 224 graduating. The following is a list of some of the graduates from Louisiana. Others with Louisiana ties are not released publicly, for reasons such as for security due to leaving to serve overseas. Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministry Daniel Guagliardo Tickfaw Master of Theological Studies Nicholas Taylor Shreveport Stephen Partain Shreveport Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Counseling Skylar Artigue Collinston Master of Arts (Theology) Michael Steinmetz Shreveport Master of Music in Church Music Michael (Benjamin) DeCou, Sr. Houma David LeCompte Houma Master of Divinity Larry Johnson Kenner John Lary Sibley Tyler Moore Shreveport Master of Divinity with Specialization in Apologetics Daniel Currie New Orleans Master of Divinity with Specialization in Expository Preaching Keith Goodson Denham Springs Russell Zwerner Walker Master of Theology Karla McGehee New Orleans Doctor of Educational Ministry Billy Williams Winnfield Doctor of Ministry Tim Moffett Eunice … [Read more...]

By Gregory Tomlin, Christian Examiner METAIRIE (Christian Examiner) – U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, known as the conservative firebrand on the nation's high court, said during an address to Catholic high school students in Louisiana Jan. 2 that the U.S. Constitution does not require the government to be neutral with respect to religion. In fact, Scalia told the audience at Archbishop Rummel High School as part of an early celebration of Religious Freedom Day (Jan. 16), the government would do well to keep God in the mix and allow times for spiritual reflection because "God has been very good to us." Religious Freedom Day is celebrated annually by presidential proclamation and commemorates the passage of the Virginia Statute for Religious Liberty in 1786, widely regarded as the precursor to the First Amendment. Scalia said the modern perception that government was meant to be neutral to religion is not the groundwork for the Constitution, as evidence by the fact that so many presidents and other American leaders invoked the name of God and asked Americans to pray to him in times of national crises. "To tell you the truth there is no place for that in our constitutional tradition. Where did that come … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – Amid those New Year’s resolutions of losing weight, spending more time with family and watching less television is another one that Louisiana Baptists leaders have issued as a challenge – start the first 21 days of 2016 praying intentionally for the Next Generation. To help make that happen, the Louisiana  Baptists Evangelism & Church Growth Team in partnership with the Pastoral Ministry Team has released the journal “Pray It Forward: 21 Days of Prayer for the Next Generation.” Each day of prayer focuses on three areas – reading God’s Word, reflecting on God’s Word and responding to God’s Word. Every day of focus has a verse, devotional thought and action steps to follow. Louisiana Baptist Convention team members along with pastors and Baptist Collegiate Ministry directors authored the prayer guide. Louisiana Baptist Evangelism and Church Growth Director Wayne Jenkins hopes those attending the Evangelism Conference at First Baptist Church in Lafayette will complete the journal by the time the event takes place on Jan. 25-26. A focus of the Evangelism Conference will be reaching the Next Generation. “Pray it Forward is the latest in a series of 21 day prayer and … [Read more...]

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By Message Staff ALEXANDRIA – A Louisiana Baptist female singing duo have planned CD release concert next month to benefit Compassion International. Scheduled for Jan. 22 at Alexandria’s Coughlin-Saunders Performing Arts Center, the concert will feature music from the new project entitled “We Receive.” The songs were written by Kellie and Kristen Fuselier, along with others from their home church, The Gathering Place in the Wardville area of Pineville. For the past 10 years, Kellie and Kristen have traveled throughout the U.S. to lead worship and said this project further illustrates their passion – to see the gospel proclaimed. “While deciding whether or not this was the season to put out another project, the Lord breathed life into these songs during our co-writes and we began getting clearer vision about what the Lord wanted us to say through our ministry,” Kellie and Kristen wrote in an email. “These songs all derive from scripture, and it has become our heart's desire to see the global Church come together in one sound to proclaim the gospel of Christ. “We have been walking through personal seasons of learning the depth of the love of God,” they continued. “We began to truly realize that we have done and can do … [Read more...]