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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Lanier Baptist Easter drama set for April 14-16

By Staff BATON ROUGE, La. – After a two-year hiatus, crowds once again will fill the worship center of Lanier Baptist Church April 14-16, 6:30 p.m. nightly, for its annual Easter drama “His Amazing Love.” More than 100 church members have worked since February to put on the production. The musical drama that includes live animals (goat, sheep and a donkey) is a three-act play with 10 scenes and such songs as “His Amazing Love,” “Come Let Us Worship the King,” “There Is Peace in Christ,” and “My Chains Are Broken.” Josh Ferguson, who plays the lead of Jesus, also co-produced and directed the drama with long-time worship leader Robert Reames. “We have struggled with adversity three times in the last six years. First, it was the flood of 2016 which caused us to cancel and then COVID-19 forced us cancel the last two years,” Ferguson said. “But all things work together for the good of those who love Him as the enthusiasm in our congregation for the 2022 presentation is off the charts. “Our stage production of ‘His Amazing Love’ is our opportunity to present to the public in an easy-to-understand depiction of the kindness and tenderness that Jesus exhibited during His earthly ministry,” he continued. “I've had the … [Read more...]

LCU seniors present research at annual C.S. Lewis Honors Forum

PINEVILLE, La. (LCNews) -- Sixteen Louisiana Christian University seniors  have presented their capstone projects as part of the 2022 C.S. Lewis Honors Forum. Cheryl Clark, provost and vice president of academic affairs, recognized each student for their effort and presented them with honors medallions to wear at the school’s commencement on May 7 at the Rapides Parish Coliseum. “In an age in which occupational and professional specializations are encouraged, universities risk creating generations of one-dimensional automatons, that is, students who are highly skilled in their chosen fields but are emotionally detached from the world around them,” Clark said. “However, at today’s C.S. Lewis Honors Forum, our graduating honors students’ interdisciplinary research presentations illustrated that LCU’s Christian liberal arts education provides the biblical framework for students to gain, synthesize, and utilize knowledge from across various academic disciplines. Students honored for their interdisciplinary research topics were: Taylor Girouard Doyle, Lafayette Psychology and Exercise Science double major Health Promotion Program Planning and Intervention Mapping Kylie Harless, Pineville Elementary Education … [Read more...]

Congresswoman Letlow to be keynote speaker at LCU Commencement May 7

PINEVILLE, La. (LCUNews) – Congresswoman Julia Letlow will be the keynote speaker at Louisiana Christian University’s 167th Commencement Exercises on May 7 at 10 a.m. at the Rapides Parish Coliseum. Letlow, who represents Louisiana’s Fifth Congressional District, will be presented an Honorary Doctorate in Public Administration. The first-term congresswoman worked for more than 10 years in higher education, most recently as the director of external affairs and strategic communications for the University of Louisiana at Monroe, before running to fill her late husband’s, Luke Letlow, seat in Congress. Luke Letlow had been elected in November 2020 and was slated to take office in January 2021. He died of COVID-19 in December. Dr. Kenneth Johnson, a Pineville physician, will be awarded the University’s Distinguished Service Award during the ceremony for his several decades of volunteer service to the LCU  “family” providing medical assistance one afternoon per week on campus. More than 250 undergraduate and graduate students will receive degrees. Graduates from December 2021, May 2022 and August 2022 also will participate in commencement. … [Read more...]

Angola inmate pastor granted parole

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ANGOLA, La. (LBM) – Robert Hyde, the immediate past pastor of Grace Baptist Church in the Louisiana State Penitentiary, is now a free man after he recently was granted parole. Hyde, who from 2019-2021 pastored what is believed to be the first fully recognized Southern Baptist church inside the walls of a prison, learned of his verdict by the parole board on March 29, and he was freed the following day. The first person he met when he stepped outside the front gate of Angola was Paul Will, a long-time mentor and pastor of Grace Baptist (2006-2019) who was granted parole in 2020. “I never really knew what friendship was until I came into Christian fellowship with Paul and the others at Grace Baptist,” Hyde told the Baptist Message. “I never knew what Christian brotherhood was like until Paul and I became brothers. We hit it off and have had a really good relationship since. “Seeing his smiling face at the gate goes beyond words I can describe,” he continued. “My story of life change began with Jesus and then Paul was willing to be a part of that story as he spent a lot of time with me and helped disciple me. We leaned on each other for a lot while at Angola and I look … [Read more...]

Open Door Missions offers relief to Ukrainians

By Baptist Message staff WEST MONROE, La. (LBM) – Pastor Mike Holloway was scheduled to take an annual mission trip to Ukraine in February, but the recent war caused him to refocus his plans from going to giving. Through Open Door Missions in West Monroe, more than $8,000 has been given to purchase food and medicine for Ukrainian refugees and also to financially support pastors, interpreters and Emmanuel Baptist Church in the European country, according to Holloway, who serves as president of the ministry and also is pastor of Ouachita Baptist Church, West Monroe. “Today, I could load up supplies, get on a plane and go help them,” Holloway told the Baptist Message. “That’s how badly I want to be there. But instead of me spending money to go, I can use that money for the people and churches over there.” Since 1999, Holloway has traveled to Ukraine and worked with Emmanuel Baptist in the Luhansk region. Volunteers from Open Door Missions helped build Emmanuel Baptist, whose members continue to meet in homes for worship and Bible study because of war-related damage to the congregation's campus. Holloway asked for continued prayers that the Ukrainians and churches they sponsor continue to reach their nation for … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptist DR team activated for Poland

By Baptist Message staff GDANSK, Poland – A Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief team has been activated for ministry to Ukrainian refugees in Poland. The team, from April 12-18, will assist with shelter management, supply distribution, feeding refugees, and chaplaincy work at First Baptist Church, Gdansk. Louisiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Mississippi each will send one team per month for at least six months to serve in Gdansk on a rotating basis. “Pray for teams as they travel and minister,” LBDR Strategist Stan Statham told the Baptist Message. “This will be a little different than other disasters for our volunteers. It’s not a natural but a man-made disaster. You can imagine the trauma the refugees are experiencing at this time, so our volunteers on the ground will have to be mentally prepared for what they may encounter.” To support LBDR ministry to Ukrainians, visit louisianabaptists.org. … [Read more...]

Trinity is ‘hub’ for Ukrainian relief

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer LAKE CHARLES, La. (LBM) – Trinity Baptist Church has served as a hub for hurricane relief in Lake Charles the last two years, but recently stepped up to serve as a centralized collection site for medical supplies and financial gifts for Ukrainian refugees. Since mid-March, the church has collected more than $90,000 that will be forwarded to Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief, who in cooperation with SEND Relief will use the funds to purchase emergency food supplies, shelter, transportation, medical care and hygiene kits for displaced Ukrainians. A portion also will offset costs for the team to travel to Poland to minister to Ukrainian refugees. Trinity Baptist also collected enough medical supplies to fill 25 large boxes (1,187 pounds) that were shipped to Ukraine. In the future, the church plans to send a team that will minister to Ukrainian refugees in Poland. Pastor Steve James said his congregation has seen its own share of recent disasters, which has allowed them to identify with the plight of the Ukrainians. “We have gone through two hurricanes, a flood, a freeze and a tornado the last two years,” James told the Baptist Message. “Many folks in Lake Charles … [Read more...]

LCU dedicates walking trail

By Elizabeth Clarke, LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) – Louisiana Christian University, on March 31, dedicated a new walking trail on campus that has been two years in the making. Sonia Tinsley, chair of LCU Division of Allied Health, coordinated the effort. She praised the support of the community, which helped make the project possible. Major funding was provided by The Rapides Foundation, Tinsley said, in the form of two grants totaling nearly $135,000, that helped repair, widen and repave the fitness trail along with purchasing and installing exercise equipment to create fitness stations. Community support also came from CHRISTUS Health, Well-Ahead Louisiana (Louisiana Department of Health), Louisiana Healthy Communities Coalition of Central Louisiana, the City of Pineville, Louisiana Athletic Club and Zion Hill Church. Tinsley said the purpose of the project was to improve community access to physical activity opportunities by improving the fitness trail and installing exercise equipment. “The exercise equipment offers a variety of aerobic, muscle/strength, core, balance and flexibility equipment to provide a well-rounded fitness routine,” Tinsley said. “We have been awarded designation as a National … [Read more...]

Powerful storms cause destruction in state once again

By Baptist Message staff SIMSBORO, La. (LBM) – For the second time in eight days, a powerful line of thunderstorms caused power outages, wind damage and flash flooding in Louisiana on Wednesday, March 30. Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief state coordinator Stan Statham told the Baptist Message teams were assessing the damage Thursday. First Baptist Church, Simsboro, lost a section of the roof and some shingles off its children’s building, and had some awning damaged, according to Pastor Jason Cole. “Pray that God opens the hearts of people to receive the Gospel as we share the Gospel with them,” Cole said. Elsewhere in Simsboro, a tree crushed three cars and damaged a house, according to John Cowling, ministry director at Rolling Hills Ministries in Ruston. Assessors from the DR team at Rolling Hills said two individuals inside the home escaped injury. The National Weather Service in Vicksburg confirmed a tornado was responsible for severe structural damage to Tallulah Academy. The Academy lost its roof, and the gymnasium was exposed to the elements, according to the Vicksburg (Mississippi) Post. No one was inside the school when the storm struck. The weather service said the tornado touched down at … [Read more...]