By Baptist Message staff LOUISVILLE, Colorado (LBM) – A Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief team recently assisted residents in southeastern Boulder County in Colorado whose homes were destroyed by historic wildfires in late December. The seven-member team from Walker and Natchitoches spent the week of Feb. 15-20 helping recovery efforts at 10 home sites ravaged by fire. According to the Associated Press, two of the most destructive wildfires in decades, fanned by historic 100-mile-per-hour winds, destroyed over 6,000 acres, caused at least $513 million in damage and destroyed nearly 1,100 homes and structures. Louisiana Baptist DR team member David Cheatwood said among the items they recovered were a high school championship ring and a set of fine China from Germany. He said while the team did not see anyone accept Christ, they prayed with everyone at the 10 homesites. “There were lots of tears of joy when the homeowners saw us find something valuable to them,” Cheatwood told the Baptist Message. “For these people, they have lost nearly everything and found great comfort in the prayers and our presence. “Please pray for the residents as they deal with insurance and other details,” he said. “And pray for those who … [Read more...]

By Baptist Message staff LAFAYETTE, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptist women will be challenged to embrace their God-given mandate to fulfill His purpose during the upcoming Louisiana Baptist women’s missions and ministry celebration, March 18-19 at First Baptist Church, Lafayette. “We want women to boldly accept the opportunities they have on a daily basis to share God’s love with others,” Louisiana Baptists Women’s Missions and Ministry Strategist Christine Gill told the Baptist Message. “We want to equip them to be Gospel-minded by keeping missions at the forefront of their everyday lives.” Embrace kicks off Friday, March 18 at 4 p.m. with check-in, and the evening celebration will begin at 6 p.m. The conference will include messages from Florida-based Bible teacher Courtney Veasey and National Woman’s Missionary Union President Connie Dixon, WMU highlights and annual reports, Bible study, worship, prayer for missionaries, a dessert fellowship, and shopping. Breakout sessions will include such topics as spiritual growth, discipleship, personal development, missions, leadership methods, and family dynamics. Additionally, the conference will feature two sessions for Hispanic women, which will be taught in Spanish. Lunch … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ZACHARY, La. (LBM) – Cross Creek Cowboy Church, Zachary, will host a summit, March 12, for those interested in starting cowboy churches and ministries. Scheduled from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m., the event at 21160 Plank Road in Zachary will include fellowship, a barbecue lunch provided by “United by Barbecue” (a non-profit organization) and messages from speakers: Louis Husser, pastor of Crossgate Church, Robert; Lane Corley, church planting strategist for Louisiana Baptists; Josh Morris, pastor of Cross Creek Cowboy Church; Randy Smith, pastor of Cross Brand Cowboy Church, Loranger; and Phillip Gilliland, church planting catalyst for the American Fellowship of Cowboy Churches. The summit is sponsored by Crossgate Church and the Louisiana Baptist Convention. “The main purpose is to encourage those who are either considering planting cowboy churches or those involved in one to receive encouragement and instruction,” said Husser, who is co-organizing the summit. “Our vision is to see multiple cowboy churches planted out of this summit. We are praying for a great harvest in the future and believe this summit could help play a key role in making that happen.” Corley echoed the … [Read more...]

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By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Applications are open for Louisiana Baptist churches who need a team of college students to coordinate their Vacation Bible School this summer. In its 15th year, GOLA (Go Louisiana) VBS is an emphasis by the Louisiana Baptist Collegiate Ministry that allows college students to serve on teams who spend the summer sharing God’s love through what is the largest evangelistic outreach of the year for many congregations. Churches in which the teams conduct a VBS normally have low baptisms and would have trouble coordinating such an event without the help of the GOLA VBS team. GOLA Strategist Ashley Jones expects to field two teams, each will comprise five college students. She also is seeking to hire two 23-25-year-old individuals to serve as team leaders. In addition to VBS, GOLA will utilize college students in three other areas of service this summer: as church staff, North American missionaries and international missionaries. Jones said the students who serve on GOLA teams are a blessing to both students and churches alike. “Our students are excited to serve, and we love our Louisiana Baptist churches,” Jones told the Baptist Message. “We want … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer LAFAYETTE, La. (LBM) – Pastor James Pritchard knew God could do something miraculous when he scheduled a four-day revival for February, but was amazed, nonetheless, when 56 baptisms took place during the final night of the revival meeting at First Baptist Church, Lafayette. A crowd of more than 900 cheered as individuals from 6 to 95 years old stepped either into a horse trough or the baptistery inside the worship center to symbolize death, burial and resurrection with Christ, Feb. 9. “What happened was the answered prayer of what we hoped the Lord would do,” Pritchard told the Baptist Message. “When He showed up like that, all we could say was ‘God showed up, look what God did!’” Leslie Hale was among the first to be baptized. During the first revival session, Feb. 6, Hale was convicted of her need to come forward and declare her faith in Christ. “It was like someone was pushing me forward that morning and I was obedient,” Hale said. “Once I came out of the baptismal waters, I felt completely clean. Seeing so many people baptized is something that is hard to describe, and I can’t wait to see what the Lord does with all of us who participated in baptism.” PRAYED … [Read more...]

By Craig Franklin, Baptist Message special JONESVILLE, La. (LBM)-- When 19-year-old Daniel Bordelon of Jonesville, Louisiana, agreed to travel to Ohio with two men he had met in an internet chat room, he had no idea what was awaiting him. But his father, Emile Bordelon, a Louisiana Baptist pastor, did, and he launched a rescue mission for his son from what the elder Bordelon described as a “sex-trafficking abduction.” The rescue, which the elder Bordelon described as miraculous, began on Feb. 8, when a text from Daniel to his mother, Cindy, revealed he was riding in a vehicle to Alexandria along LA 28 bound for the Alexandria International Airport with two men, and that he was scared. Upon learning of his son’s situation, Bordelon, pastor of Clayton Baptist Church, Clayton, and owner of Emile Bordelon Transport, Jonesville, immediately took to social media to call upon everyone to pray for his son. He also contacted Catahoula Parish Sheriff Toney Edwards who launched law enforcement efforts in the rescue operation. Hours later, Bordelon believes, a miracle occurred, when the plane bound for Ohio from Alexandria was mysteriously delayed, allowing just enough time to catch up with Daniel and bring him safely … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – For the last five years, Mike Shumock has helped restore numerous Louisiana Baptist churches as Gospel mission centers by leading the rebuild or repair of their facilities. Shumock is set to retire Feb. 28 as the mission builder strategist for Louisiana Baptists, but his calling to help churches with construction projects is far from over. “I realize God gifts everyone,” Shumock told the Baptist Message. “God gifted me to build and use my hands and come alongside and work with people in need. It’s satisfying to know without a doubt people who needed help rebuilding were able to fulfill that through the efforts of myself and so many volunteers who had a common love and that is to help others in Jesus’ name.” CALLED Shumock’s journey began in 1974 at Wade Baptist Church, Moss Point, Mississippi, when he realized he was a sinner and needed to surrender his life to Jesus. A year later, he accepted the call to ministry and became the church’s youth minister. For the next four decades, Shumock combined his passion for construction with a love for ministry. Shumock worked for several construction companies in the early 1980s, before he pastored … [Read more...]