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...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – Louisiana Baptists recently hosted backpack giveaway events that planted Gospel seeds in families prior to the start of the new school year. NEW ORLEANS Several ministries and churches teamed up, July 30, to distribute both 1,750 backpacks that were filled with school supplies and 500 bags of hygiene items at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Additionally, a Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief feeding unit from First Baptist Church, Slidell, and SEND Relief provided more than 800 meals; the Baptist Community Health Services administered free health screenings to 49 families; and the LSU School of Dentistry administered dental care to 46 families. The event was sponsored by Lakeshore Church, SEND Relief and Infinite Blessings (a non-profit organization that serves the schools, food banks, shelters and clinics in the city). Joshua Durnell, worship pastor at Lakeshore Church and a SEND Relief missionary, said mission teams from Northbrook Baptist Church and Temple Baptist Church, Cullman, Ala., and Ashland Avenue Baptist Church, Lexington, Ky., filled the backpacks at the church. Fifty members from Lakeshore Church later moved the backpacks to … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer FOREST HILL, La. (LBM) – Pastor Mike Evans recently missed two months in the pulpit during a fierce battle with cancer and other medical issues, but through those trials he experienced God’s goodness through the love displayed by his church. Meanwhile, his congregation, Elwood Baptist Church, Forest Hill, has experienced a personal revival with eight baptisms since April. Five other new believers are awaiting baptism. “They stepped up,” Evans told the Baptist Message. “Since this church was founded in 1912, we have had love, respect and unity. You can never underestimate the value of a prayer or receiving a card from someone. That helped get me through some very difficult days. They stood in the gap for me when I wasn’t able.” Evans, from April 11-June 16, spent time in Alexandria and Baton Rouge hospitals and at home as he underwent surgery for prostate cancer and fought off pneumonia and multiple embolisms (obstruction of his arteries). While he was away from the pulpit, Evans said the members and other Louisiana Baptists never ceased showing their love. His church continued paying his salary, cared for the facility and grounds and sent him numerous messages of … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer PRIDE, La. (LBM) – Jolie Pruyn, 20, was a faithful attender of church-related activities as a youngster but an encounter with Jesus at Sandy Creek Baptist Church’s summer camp left her convicted of her need for a Savior. “That night I told myself, ‘If not now, when?’” Pruyn, a camp chaperon, told the Baptist Message. “Up until that point I felt ashamed of pretending to live a life for Christ and I was scared of what people would think. But the family I have become a part of at ‘The Creek’ was nothing but supportive. I have never felt more loved and uplifted in my life.” Pruyn is one of 25 students and young professionals at Sandy Creek Baptist Church who have decided to follow Christ in 2022. Seventeen of those were baptized July 17 (the most the church has baptized in one service) and seven are awaiting baptism. Additionally, five new believers who are not youth or young professionals have been baptized since January in a church that averages 225 in Sunday worship. Most of the decisions have taken place during Teen Extreme camp (attended by 95 students) in Pensacola, Fla., June 27-July 1, and at Wednesday night student worship. “It’s been cool to hear students say the … [Read more...]