By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana University student Katie Wimbish told God she could not obey his command to disciple other believers – not long after that she met a student named Allison, a visitor to the Baptist Collegiate Ministry free dinner. Throughout the evening, Wimbish introduced the student to other BCM members, sharing the Good News and Christ’s love, and by the end of the night Allison had accepted Christ as her personal Lord and Savior. The connection blossomed into something Wimbish had rejected days earlier – a mentoring relationship with a new Christian. “Allison came into my life right after I told God no to His call to disciple someone,” she recalled. “I told Him that my life wasn’t good enough yet, that my depression was too bad. No one could ever learn anything from me, etc. but Allison came. She told me I was exactly what she’s been needing. It turns out that she was exactly what I needed as well.” Similar stories of changed lives through Christ are commonplace this semester at the BCM. In late October, three students accepted Christ and another 50 made a decision to share Christ with their friends and families as part of a two-day effort known as … [Read more...]
Students make the most of the moment at YEC
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer LAFAYETTE – The 2015 Youth Evangelism Celebration was all about making the most of the moment. “You have this moment,” Acton Bowen told the 5,900 youth gathered inside the Cajundome for the opening session of YEC Nov. 23. “This is the moment you have right now to say yes to Jesus.” A speaker and New York Times best-selling author who has served in the local church, led a city-wide student Bible study in Gadsden, Ala., and was the host of x|roads TV, Bowen was one of several people who were on stage during YEC. The largest gathering of Louisiana Baptists each year, YEC featured worship, inspiring messages, fellowship, illusions and much more. The theme for this year’s YEC was Moments, based off Psalm 119:32 – I run in the path of your commands, for you have broadened my understanding. Throughout the two-day event, Bowen issued several challenges, including take up one’s cross to follow Jesus. Basing his message off Mark 8:31-35, Bowen told the students and adult chaperons that too many in America are just a fan of Christ. He said Jesus is looking for followers, especially when times get tough. “There is a huge difference between being a fan of Jesus and a follower of … [Read more...]
Cain to retire after 21 years of transforming Angola prisoners’ lives
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ANGOLA – Burl Cain, known worldwide for turning the ‘bloodiest prison in America’ into a ‘model facility,’ is retiring Jan. 1 after nearly 21 years as head of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. The 73-year-old Pitkin native, the longest serving warden of any prison in the United States, made the announcement this week. Angola’s unprecedented transformation is credited to Cain, who governed the sprawling 18,000 acre facility that sits next to the Mississippi River with a firm hand and a strong love for Jesus. Indeed, Cain, a Southern Baptist, is quick to tell everyone it was Jesus Christ who pacified Angola. HEARTFELT THANKS As he prepares to leave his post, Cain said he wanted to share with Louisiana Baptists his sincere gratitude for the role they played in making such a lasting change at the prison and in the lives of so many of the prisoners. “Over the years it has been my pleasure to work with so many religious groups of all denominations who have offered their support to our efforts towards moral rehabilitation at Angola,” Cain said in a statement to the Baptist Message. “None have been more supportive than Louisiana Baptists.” “Those who have so … [Read more...]
SACSCOC removes ‘probationary status’ from LC’s accreditation
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – Louisiana College received an early Christmas gift Dec. 8 and LC President Rick Brewer wanted to share it with everyone. After 18 months, probationary status was removed from the school’s accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Since June 2014, LC maintained its accreditation but remained on probation most recently because the SACSCOC Board of Trustees surmised from materials submitted by the previous administration that the school’s governing documents had holes relating to administrative procedures for identifying and addressing incidents of undue external influence from political, religious, or other external bodies. Surrounded by students, faculty, alumni and community leaders, a smiling Brewer expressed gratitude for his administrative team and the board of trustees for their work in formalizing controls that ensure the school complies with every accreditation standard. He learned of SACSCOC’s decision that morning and returned in the afternoon from SACS’ annual meeting in Houston, Texas to report the good news. Brewer said he was grateful to his senior administrative team for responding with a fix for the … [Read more...]
NFL’s Watson: ‘Changed hearts’ can heal racial divide
By Marilyn Stewart, Regional reporter NEW ORLEANS -- Race is an issue that continues to divide, said New Orleans Saints tight end Benjamin Watson during a book signing at the LifeWay campus store at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. The solution is "changed hearts" in Christ, Watson said. The event fell on Nov. 24, the one-year anniversary of the ruling in the racially charged Ferguson, Mo., case of the shooting death of Michael Brown. Watson's book, "Under Our Skin: Getting Real about Race -- and Getting Free from the Fear and Frustrations that Divide Us," expands on his lengthy Facebook post that resonated with readers the day after the news broke that officer Darren Wilson would not face criminal charges for the shooting death of Brown. "[Race] is something that keeps on coming up," Watson said. "It's something we're always talking about and it's not seeming to be going anywhere." Calling his book "part manifesto, part memoir," Watson told the line of fans that snaked past shelves and out LifeWay's door that he put his thoughts to paper after seeing a public reaction to the verdict that seemed to split along racial lines. "I was conflicted because so much was tied into it. I wanted to work out my … [Read more...]
LC commencement to confer 135 degrees on Saturday
By Norm Miller, LC Communications PINEVILLE (LCNews) – Louisiana College is set to confer 135 degrees at its 159th commencement ceremony on Saturday. The ticketed event begins at 10 a.m. in Guinn Auditorium. The keynote speaker is Rev. David Edwards, president of David Edwards Publications. Edwards - an ordained and licensed preacher - is a professional speaker and author, who travels full-time speaking in schools and churches. He holds a BA in Religion with a minor in Mass Communications and Art from Oklahoma City University. He has completed additional graduate work at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. An approved speaker for many school boards in 16 states, Edwards has spoken at seminars and chapel services at colleges and universities. He has spoken at Pride World Drug Conferences, Youth Evangelism Conferences (Y.E.C.), and Xtreme Winter Youth Conferences. Edwards has served as a mission minister in Brazil, Switzerland, Belgium, Amsterdam, Jamaica, and South Korea. Having written 23 books, Edwards formed David Edwards Publications in 2005 with a mission statement of “Meeting people where they are in life and bringing them one step closer in the process of knowing Jesus … [Read more...]
Fund set up at Whitney Bank to help Slidell’s Bayou Baptist Church
SLIDELL – A fund has been set up to help Bayou Baptist Church in Slidell with rebuilding costs following a fire on Oct. 22. According to Pastor Frank Treme, the fire which he believes to have been arson caused extensive damage to all of the buildings on the church grounds. The fire destroyed a part of the building that houses classrooms, a nursery and the kitchen. While the sanctuary did not burn to the ground, the interior sustained a significant amount of damage from the smoke and water. “We have brought in the adjustors and engineers and it looks as if none of the buildings can be saved,” Treme told the Message. “We are going to demolish all of the buildings and rebuild back again on this spot. “We did it once with God’s provision and we will do it again because we are faithful to Him,” said Treme. “Right now we are proceeding slowly to see what the cost will be for the demolition and the rebuilding,” Treme continued. “We are a small congregation so to help with some of those costs not taken care of by insurance an account has been set up at Whitney Bank and anyone who would like to donate to our rebuilding efforts can go to any branch in the state and say this donation is for Bayou Baptist Church.” Whitney … [Read more...]
Louisiana Notables
ON THE MOVE Robert (wife Suzanne) Jameson new as bi-vocational pastor at Emmanuel Baptist Church, Arcadia. LAGNIAPPE Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Ferriday: A Southern Christmas to Remember Christmas Tour featuring Mark Lanier and the Stephens from Northport, Ala., Dec. 4, 6:30 p.m. Summer Grove Baptist Church, Shreveport: Bringing to the Ark-La-Tex the first ever Ice Skating Rink and Christmas Village, Dec. 4-22. For three weeks, a massive 102 foot by 52 foot rink will be placed in our parking lot visible from HWY 3132, and will offer to the community the time honored Christmas tradition of ice-skating in a safe and family-friendly environment. Near the rink will be a Christmas Village which will offer children the opportunity to create Christmas crafts for free, enjoy bounce houses and a Christmas movie at the Summer Grove movie theater. There will also be hot chocolate and concessions for purchase. Cost: $10 per person/student for those wishing to skate. The fee covers ice skating rental. Pastor: Aaron Burger. First Baptist Church, Port Allen: “A Night in Bethlehem” Dec. 4-6, 6-8 p.m. Experience a fresh look of the little town of Bethlehem on the night Jesus was born. This is a walk through tour running every 10-15 … [Read more...]
The gift with a lot of benefits – a charitable gift annuity
Charitable gift annuities are a great way to enhance your financial picture and take advantage of tax benefits while making a lasting gift to God’s Kingdom work. A gift annuity is a relatively simple contract between you and the Louisiana Baptist Foundation. You transfer cash or other liquid assets, such as stock, bonds, or mutual funds, to the Foundation; the Foundation pays you a fixed income – an annuity – for life. The contract can be written for the life of an individual or for two lives. The gift annuity agreement allows you to name the ministry that will receive the remainder of the fund after your lifetime. That beneficiary can be your church, a Baptist institution or ministry, or divided among several ministries. Creating a charitable gift annuity (CGA) offers several tax advantages to you, the donor. n Gift Annuities qualify for a partial income tax deduction in the year the gift is made. n A portion of each annuity payment is considered to be “return of principle” during your projected life expectancy and is not subject to income tax. n Capital gains tax on appreciated securities can be partially avoided at the time of the gift. Federal estate and gift taxes are generally avoided on the amount … [Read more...]
‘Tis the season to give thanks
By Jerry Love, LBF Communications The Thanksgiving holiday has just passed when we express our gratitude to God for his care and blessings for the year. The celebration of Christmas is beginning in earnest as we thank God the Father for God the Son – Jesus – and the salvation that was given through His birth, life, death and resurrection. But there are times in our lives that we reflect and give thanks, not because the calendar says it’s time. We reflect because of the changes in the seasons of life and the effect on our hearts. I find myself at one of those junctures of life. Recently my dad passed away and joined my mom in heaven where they are eternally praising God and living “true” life. I am grateful that in the last days of his life, my dad repeatedly said he was ready to see Jesus. As I reflect on the past, and the present, I am grateful for many things. I am grateful for parents who served the Lord. My mom and dad didn’t send us to church, they took us every Sunday (both services) and Wednesday. Some of my earliest memories are of dad “leading the singin” and mom playing the piano at St. Rest Baptist Church on the White Lightning Road in northwest Lincoln Parish. Later, at Cook Baptist in Ruston, … [Read more...]
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