By Staff, LCUNews PINEVILLE, La. (LCUNews) -- Steve Horn, executive director for Louisiana Baptists, encouraged Louisiana Christian University students during the first chapel of the 2022-23 school year, Aug. 26, to make decisions with their end goals in mind. Speaking from Revelation 1:1-8, Horn said the lessons in Revelation allow believers to go through life’s trials with the end in view. “Hopefully, you came to this university with the end in view. Not just graduation, but education and learning—to make a contribution to this world,” said Horn. “The decisions you make in the weeks, the years to come, are progressing you to the end. Revelation is the kind of book that calls on us to focus on the end.” Four years ago, Louisiana Christian University President Rick Brewer began selecting a single book of the Bible for extensive study for the year. His selection this year was the Book of Revelation. According to Brewer, “Revelation is often misunderstood and therefore neglected, but Dr. Horn made it easier to understand with his message to the students by emphasizing the overarching themes of the Book. “Our chapel experience today was a worshipful time of praise, prayer and proclamation unlike any I have ever … [Read more...]

By Staff, LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) – The first chapel of the 2022-2023 school year on Tuesday, Aug. 26, proved to be a busy one as the school welcomed its 2026 freshman class and honored former and present athletes and their accomplishments. Besides university officials recognizing the athletic accomplishments, including three athletes named as ‘Pillars of Football,’ LCU introduced the establishment of three new athletic awards, named after former LCU alumni standouts, announced the promotion of current athletic director/basketball coach Reni Mason to vice-president of intercollegiate athletics, and named current LCU quarterback Sal Palermo III as ‘President for a Day.’ RING CEREMONY LCU President Rick Brewer and new women’s soccer coach Kendall Ayers awarded the Lady Wildcats soccer team with their 2021 Red River Athletic Conference championship rings. The team won the regular season and tournament and qualified for the national tournament, a first in school history. Martina Terra Garcia became the program’s first to receive All-America honors as she was an honorable mention selection. “You all have set a standard for the other programs to live up to for all the positive attention you have brought this … [Read more...]

By Staff, LCUNews PINEVILLE, La. (LCUNews) -- Louisiana Christian University welcomed the Class of 2026 to campus over the weekend, Aug. 19-21, with several LCU traditions and some new activities to help them get initiated into the Wildcat family. The freshmen moved in Friday afternoon, got unpacked and hung out with their navigators -- upper-class leaders who are assigned a group of freshmen to mentor for the year -- before participating in servant leadership exercises the following day. On Saturday, Aug. 20, the entire freshmen class served the local community by working at the food bank and hosting a back-to-school giveaway for community children. “We are excited to have the opportunity to prepare our graduates at LCU by teaching our incoming class about servant leadership,” said Meredith Rennier, director of The Center for Calling and Career. “It is amazing to see how serving others can quickly bring a group of students that barely know one another together,” said Brian Manuel, dean of students. Classes officially began this morning, Aug. 22. Freshmen Convocation will be Tuesday, Aug. 23, at 11 a.m. in Guinn Auditorium. President Rick Brewer, who is starting his 36th year in Christian higher education … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) — Louisiana Baptists are invited to recommend candidates to serve on state convention boards and committees, and, are asked to submit resolutions for possible consideration by messengers at the 2022 Louisiana Baptist Convention. COMMITTEES The Louisiana Baptist Committee on Committees will be conducting its work early this fall to fill 17 openings on five state convention committees: Credentials; Moral and Social Concerns; Nominations; Order of Business; and Resolutions. Nominations should be sent not later than Aug. 12 to Jake Roudkowski, interim pastor, First Baptist Church, Zachary, who is the Committee on Committees chair. Please forward your recommendations via email, jaker@nobts.edu, or the U.S. Mail, Dr. Jake Roudkowski, 78689 Hwy. 25, Folsom, LA 70437. BOARDS The Louisiana Baptist Committee on Nominations will begin its work, also in early fall, to fill 18 vacancies on the LBC Executive Board as well as the trustee bodies of the Louisiana Christian University, Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and Family Ministries, Baptist Message, and Baptist Foundation. Nominations should be sent not later than Aug. 12 to Ron Thompson, member, First Baptist Church, … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer DEVILLE, La. (LBM) – A fire damaged the worship center at Richey Baptist Church, Deville, in January 2021, leaving the congregation of 80 seeking God’s help to rebuild their facility. Fifteen months later, their prayers were answered in even greater ways than the congregation ever could have imagined, according to their pastor, Grady Dodge. Dodge told the Baptist Message he was encouraged so many churches stepped up to assist in the rebuild, modeling the body of Christ. “When the fire happened, I thought it was the end of the world,” said Dodge, also the Louisiana Baptist Building maintenance supervisor. “God showed me so much through it. He showed me unity in the community and unity in the churches.” The fire began at 11 a.m., Jan. 9, 2021, and engulfed the worship center. Fire crews from Effie and Ruby-Kolin extinguished it later that same evening. While most of the worship center was destroyed, a steeple and Bible located near the front doors miraculously survived. Rather than fold, the church, pressed forward with the insurance company paying half of the $700,000 needed to rebuild, and churches and individuals from around the state donating the remainder. During … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary President Jamie Dew is the keynote speaker for the 2022 E4 Preaching Conference. Dew, who was elected president of the seminary in 2019, will bring messages during general sessions of the annual conference Sept. 13 at First Baptist Church, Pineville. “I’m thrilled to join pastors and preachers from all over Louisiana for this year’s E4 Conference,” Dew told the Baptist Message. “Our pastors work hard to care for their people and proclaim the Word to the lost. The Gospel of Jesus is the only hope for the broken world, and we must be prepared to defend it with clarity, conviction and kindness.” The conference will feature music by the FBC Pineville praise team. Breakout sessions will include such topics as Contending for the Faith, Preaching Issues in our Culture and Preaching through Ephesians and will be led by professors from Louisiana Christian University, NOBTS and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Mississippi Pastor Argile Smith. Dew’s wife, Tara, will lead a study track for ministers’ wives. “With all that is happening in our world, preachers must be prepared to be biblical and relevant at … [Read more...]