Click to Login or Sign Up

Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

ECON to urge LBC to engage in SBC soul-winning efforts

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer WEST MONROE, La. (LBM) – At the upcoming state Evangelism Conference, Jan. 23-24 in the facilities of the First Baptist Church, West Monroe, speakers will urge Louisiana Baptists to play an active role in two evangelistic efforts tied to the 2023 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in New Orleans. SBC EVANGELISTIC PREVIEW Louisiana Baptist Evangelism and Church Growth Team Director Keith Manuel will encourage ECON participants to participate in Crossover, a large-scale evangelistic effort held before the SBC Annual Meeting, and the North American Mission Board SERVE Tour, an effort that seeks to involve participants in service projects as the foundation for evangelism the weekend before the SBC Annual Meeting. LBC staff will help coordinate enrollment for both initiatives. Manuel hopes to have a team from each association to participate in Crossover and SERVE. Previously, LBC Executive Director Steve Horn said he was praying for 2,023 people to be saved through these evangelistic efforts. “We’re attempting to encourage our congregations to participate in the SERVE/Crossover tour,” Manuel said. “We want to enlist and equip Louisiana Baptists for the … [Read more...]

Trinity Baptist education building damaged by early morning fire

HAMMOND, La. (LBM) – A lightning strike which caused a malfunction and a fire in an electrical panel in the education building at Trinity Baptist Church, Hammond, and caused a fire, Jan. 4. According to Pastor Avery Dixon, the damage was minimal and contained to two rooms. He added, no one was inside at the time of the fire which took place shortly after 2 a.m. Dixon said some of the children’s Sunday school classrooms will be relocated while the area is repaired. He thanked the Hammond Fire Department for their quick response and asked for continued prayers as they determine how to proceed. “Pray that our children and their parents don’t get too frustrated,” Dixon told the Baptist Message. “We have to move some children’s rooms to some other places until we get if fixed. We are hoping it just takes a couple of weeks.” … [Read more...]

Homewood Baptist blesses 21 kids at Christmas

By Message staff ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) - Homewood Baptist Church surprised 21 children with an early Christmas, Dec. 18. After Sunday evening’s worship service, the church presented the children with gifts, stockings and Bibles. Pastor Jimmy Koonce said the 45 members of Homewood Baptist pooled their financial resources and purchased the gifts after they learned of the need in early December from Gulf Coast Social Services. “It’s amazing the heart our church has for others,” Koonce told the Baptist Message. “Our church is so happy to have helped make this a special Christmas for the kids. “We want the children to have good exposure to church,” he said. “And, we want to show them what Christian love and hospitality is as we love them in Jesus’ name.” … [Read more...]

Little Cakes and Lottie Moon: Alexandria bakery shows heart for missions

By Tessa Sanchez, International Mission Board ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) - Little Cakes with Big Attitude also appears to have a big heart for missions. The bakery and coffee shop in Alexandria, Louisiana, donated 10% of their sales on Dec. 10 to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering to support missionaries who serve with the International Mission Board. Bridget Vaughn and Robyn Schwartz own the bakery and coffee shop. The women are members of Calvary Baptist Church in Alexandria. Their decision to donate to the offering came after listening to the testimony of a couple from their home church. The couple recently moved to Southeast Asia to serve as missionaries with the IMB. Before the couple left, they spoke to Vaughn’s life group on Sunday morning about the large numbers of people without knowledge of Jesus. “After hearing them speak recently, I thought everyone had heard the name Jesus, but I was shocked at how many people haven’t,” Vaughn said. From the couple, Vaughn and her life group learned about Lottie Moon, a Southern Baptist missionary sent to China to share the gospel. Moon saw the world’s most significant problem, lostness, and frequently wrote to Southern Baptists about the tremendous need. Vaughn grew up … [Read more...]