By Jamie Stephens, Regional Reporter RUSTON – Power-hitting outfielder Darryl Strawberry, who played for four major league teams, was considered one of baseball's biggest stars in the 1980s--before his career was derailed by substance-abuse problems. During 17 seasons he helped lead the New York Mets to a World Series championship (1986) and the New York Yankees to three World Series championships (1996, 1998 and 1999). A popular player of that era, Strawberry, a right fielder, was voted to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game eight straight times (1984–1991). Despite being one of the most feared sluggers in the game, he also was suspended three times by Major League Baseball for substance abuse.  He was in and out of drug-treatment centers for much of the late '90s and early 2000s. He went AWOL from one program multiple times, was kicked out of another, and, then he was sentenced to 18 months in prison for probation violations in April 2002. He had two marriages fail during this time, too. "I was once very lost and tormented, but now I have been found and I am free in Christ Jesus. I want everyone to experience the saving and transforming power of Jesus Christ,” Strawberry said. He came to First Baptist … [Read more...]

TO PLACE INFORMATION IN NOTABLES: Please call (318.449.4345), fax (318.445.8328 or email (philip@baptistmessage.com) your church’s event three weeks before the event takes place. Include church’s name, date, time, cost, and pastor’s name. CORRECTION Dick DeBusk is the pastor at Calvary Baptist Church, Tullos. In the article in the Dec. 3rd issue of the Message on page two, the church he pastors was not correctly identified. ON THE MOVE Marcelle Ronquille is the new pastor at Bosco Baptist Church, Monroe. Jeff Robinson is the new pastor at First Baptist Church, Hammond. Coy Raiford is the new associate pastor at First Baptist Church, Hammond. Lynn Puryear is the new children’s director at Airline Baptist Church, Bossier City. Robert Trigo is the new associate pastor/nations campus at Woodland Park Baptist Church in Hammond. Michael Stringer is the interim pastor at Life Journey Church in Shreveport. Chad (wife Lori) Hebert is the new Youth Pastor at Little Pass Baptist Church, Charenton. Richard Gambill is the new pastor at First Baptist Church in Bastrop. IN REMEMBERANCE Arnold Norsworthy of Alexandria passed away on Nov. 23 at the age of 82. He was employed with the Louisiana Baptist Convention … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer LAFAYETTE – Reaching the Next Generation and Every People Group are two aims of the 2016 Louisiana Baptist Evangelism Conference (ECON) – with a focus on moving Louisiana Baptists closer to achieving the goals of the President’s 2020 Commission Report. Evangelism & Church Growth Team Director Wayne Jenkins believes this year’s lineup of featured speakers and worship leaders will be able to accomplish this task. “ECON 2016 is a conference for the entire church,” Jenkins said. “Along with great music and powerful preaching, pastors and church members alike will be able to take home ideas from the breakout sessions about how to reach these two audiences in their community.” First Bapitst Church Lafayette will host this year’s ECON from Jan. 25-26. Based on 1 Corinthians 9:22, this year’s ECON seeks to inspire, lift spirits and provide participants with a number of unique fellowship opportunities. Preceding ECON two days earlier [Jan. 22-23], First Lafayette will also host the Hispanic Evangelism Conference. Here is a brief profile on this year’s speakers: STEVE GAINES Steve Gaines, pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tenn., is a firm believer in prayer and … [Read more...]

By Philip Timothy, Message Managing Editor COVINGTON – You would think just about everyone has heard, contributed or volunteered for Samaritan’s Purse’s Operation Christmas Child. Since 1993, the project, which was begun by Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham, has collected and delivered more than 124 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 150 countries and territories just in time for Christmas. This year, the project, which has more than 100,000 volunteers involved in collecting, shipping and distributing these shoeboxes, estimates it will collect enough shoeboxes to reach another 11 million children. Yet, there is another ministry, albeit a much smaller one, who will also be bringing plenty of smiles and a lot of memories to several hundred children this Christmas as well. The ministry is Fairhaven Ministries, located just 10 miles outside of Covington in rural southeast Louisiana. For more than 40 years Johnny and Sissie Huffman have been faithfully serving the Lord at Fairhaven Children’s Home by ministering to children in their care – 15 at last count – as well as their community and communities in the Appalachian Mountains, the Mississippi Delta and on Indian reservations in Montana and … [Read more...]

By Message Staff METAIRIE – Vintage Church, a Louisiana Baptist congregation, has filed a lawsuit against the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and Jefferson Parish, because of a dispute regarding sound levels during Sunday worship services conducted in a tent serving as the congregation’s temporary meeting area. The tent, erected in August, is intended to be a short term arrangement while the congregation expands attendance capacity in its permanent building—a project estimated for completion in nine or 10 months. The petition filed jointly by local attorney Roy Bowes and the Liberty Institute, a non-profit law firm which focuses on religious liberty issues, accuses Sheriff Newell Normand and his officers of intimidation tactics in attempting to essentially shut down weekly worship services because of noise complaints by a single individual, and they also describe the noise level ordinances as flawed. On the other side, at least one neighbor in the community claims the church is not being considerate by allowing musicians to warm up as early as 7 a.m. Sundays, and she claims she is not alone in opposing the noise levels coming from the tent. “The 911 calls will show that it’s not just me,” said Lisa Caracci, who … [Read more...]

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...]

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...]

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...]