Submitted by philip on Tue, 12/04/2012 - 11:19 By Roy Hayhurst, GuideStone Communications DALLAS – President Barack Obama’s re-election virtually guarantees that his signature healthcare reform law, passed in 2010, will continue moving toward implementation over the coming four years. GuideStone continues working toward applying the provisions of the law, while remaining an active part of a coalition of large and historic denominational church health plan providers advocating on behalf of ministers and other participants served by church plans. “We are continuing our efforts to aggressively pursue legislative and regulatory relief,” said GuideStone President O.S. Hawkins. “We recognize that many religious organizations, including some in our own Baptist family, have chosen to pursue litigation to challenge aspects of the law. At this time, GuideStone has chosen to work with legislators and regulators to address the concerns of church health plans, but we are closely monitoring the lawsuits as they make their way through the court system. We fully support these lawsuits and share the foundational commitment to safeguard religious liberty. Since we serve employers and participants throughout the … [Read more...]

ARRIVALS/DEPARTURES Joel McMickin has resigned as pastor of Calvary of Forest Hill, and is available for pulpit supply. 318.659.4094. Jeremy Breaux has resigned as pastor of Erwinville Baptist. Alan (wife Sandy) Miller is new as pastor of Alto Baptist. Jake Goforth has resigned as youth pastor of Hillcrest Baptist in Franklinton. NEEDED/GIVING Oak Hill Baptist Church in Many is searching for a full-time pastor. Must be at least 30 years of age. Parsonage available. Resumes may be e-mailed to liindaguay@yahoo.com or mailed to Russell Peace at P.O Box 108, Negreet, La. 71460. John Parker is available for fill-ins, interim, and possible full-time pastoring. Call: 318.348.0420 OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD First Baptist Morgan City: 30 in Sunday School Nov. 11; 1,163 shoeboxes. Highland Park Baptist West Monroe: 133 in Sunday School Nov. 11; 100 shoeboxes. First Baptist Basile: 45 in Sunday School Nov. 11; 222 shoeboxes. SEASONAL EVENTS Cedar Crest West Monroe/First West Monroe: Boxes of new Christmas cards needed for nursing home ministry, to ensure every resident receives a card. Deliver asap to church with note: For Kevin Tedeton/nursing home ministry. Vernon Baptist Association: Volunteers … [Read more...]

SULPHUR – Alex Benton, 8-year-old member of First Baptist Church of Benton, decided to make her birthday count this year. Alex asked family and friends to instead of gifts donate new or gently-used shoes to give to people in need, as part of the church’s “Love Out Loud” thrust. More than 200 pairs of shoes were given, and passed on to Care Help of Sulphur. … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Tue, 12/04/2012 - 11:27 Ten members of Southern Baptist churches in these towns recently spent 10 days sharing the Gospel message of Jesus to struggling families, and at local Baptist churches, orphanages, hospitals and schools. As a result, 191 people made professions of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. “I’ve been on a number of other missions with hammers and nails to minister, but this was truly a Spirit-led mis­sion and prepared people who readily accepted the Gospel,” said David Maxwell, pastor of Red Bluff Baptist in Folsom. A second mission trip is planned to start Sept. 11, 2013. Byelorussia is “literally crying for missionaries from America,” said Andrew Ryzh­kov, now of Atlanta, Ga. … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Tue, 12/04/2012 - 11:30 The city of Riverside, Calif., may sell land in which a cross was erected more than 100 years ago on land that was then private property to the highest bidder in order for the city to avoid a lawsuit brought by the Americans United for the Separation of Church and State. Atheist Group Sues IRS Over Churches Endorsing Politics  (WNS)--After 1,586 pastors purposely broke the law Oct. 7 by endorsing political candidates from the pulpit, an atheist group has taken the bait and sued the Internal Revenue Service Wednesday for not taking action against these pastors’ churches. Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) started Pulpit Freedom Sunday in 2008 to challenge the constitutionality of the 1954 Johnson Amendment that prohibits tax-exempt churches from making political endorsements. ADF hoped the IRS would take action so that a lawsuit could be filed that would repeal the law. “It’s outrageous for pastors and churches to be threatened or punished by the government for applying biblical teachings to all areas of life, including candidates and elections,” ADF legal counsel Erik Stanley told Focus on the Family’s Citizen Link last month. He added that the purpose … [Read more...]

By Mark H Hunter, Regional Reporter AMITE – Six local pastors were prayed over and deacons, trustees and spouses were also blessed in a recent “Call of the Captain” leadership conference presented by longtime men’s ministry leader Paul David Freed and hosted at First Baptist Church of Amite. The “Call of the Captain” conference is designed for pastoral and church leadership – for both men and women – and is the next generation ministry of Freed’s well-known and effective “Mighty Men of God” conferences. The Amite event was the first of several similar conferences set over the next several months in Louisiana. This particular conference, held Friday evening and Saturday morning, Nov. 2-3, and attended by about 40 local church leaders and spouses, was a “pilot” Freed said, designed for church leaders and their spouses. He anticipates larger crowds, similar to the “Mighty Men” conferences, at the dozens of future events already scheduled for Louisiana, Georgia and several other states. The “Call of the Captain” conference covers 24 biblical leadership titles, both Old and New Testament, and details all the attributes of all those titles, Freed said. “By the time we get through “Call of the Captain” leadership conference … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Thu, 12/06/2012 - 10:19 The purpose of the Louisiana LifeMarch is to unite the pro-life people of Louisiana, across all denominational lines, to take a stand for life in our State's Capital, and mobilize them with resources to go make a difference in their community. We believe the Louisiana Life March can lead towards an abortion-free Louisiana. This event is sponsored by Louisiana Right to Life, Louisiana Baptist Convention, Louisiana Conference of Catholic Bishops, Louisiana Family Forum, the Knights of Columbus, and Louisiana's Concerned Women for America and will be held Saturday, January 12, 2012 from 1-3 p.m. in Baton Rouge at the Louisiana State Capitol. Select rating Give it 1/5 Give it 2/5 Give it 3/5 Give it 4/5 Give it 5/5 Give it 1/5 Give it 2/5 Give it 3/5 Give it 4/5 Give it 5/5 … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 12/14/2012 - 13:51 Children attending a Christmas Vacation Bible School at Crossroads Baptist Church Hammond wave their light sticks to illustrate Jesus is the Light of the World. By Mark H Hunter, Regional Reporter HAMMOND – The room was completely dark until one by one, a small group of elementary age children shook their chemical light sticks. Squeals of laughter erupted as the room – now illuminated by swirling colors of green, yellow, red and blue – revealed happy faces. The exercise was just one of several to illustrate the birth of Jesus as "The Light of the World," during a unique "VBS at Christmas" that took place Saturday, Dec. 1, at Crossroads Baptist Church in Hammond. The church, located in a renovated movie theater across Oak Street from Southeastern Louisiana University, is an active group of small families and SLU students and averages about 150 in attendance, said Pastor Asah Hudgins. "Our goal with this is to start the Christmas season off for the kids by focusing on Christ," Hudgins said. As far as anyone knows, this was the first Christmas VBS in this part of the state. Two years ago a Hammond Lutheran church hosted an Easter VBS and Tara Hudgins, pastor’s … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 12/14/2012 - 13:54 A young shepherd keeps a firm hold on the halter of this donkey used during a live nativity at Mandeville Baptist Church. By Rachel Ortego, Regional Reporter MANDEVILLE – Deacon Pat Hayden of Mandeville Baptist Church is a shepherd of sorts. It is his job to round up sheep, donkeys, goats and maybe a calf or two for the church’s annual Christmas live nativity each year. But he doesn’t do it with a rod and staff. Hayden is the animal facilitator who arranges, by phone, for the mini-herd to be delivered from farms as far as 50 minutes away to the nativity scene on the church property for three afternoons in December. The church has had some interesting experiences with the animals but generally everything goes over without a hitch, Hayden says. “We have one lady who loans us between 15 to 20 sheep and we provide some funds for her expenses,” Hayden said. “Other people loan us donkeys, goats and even a calf, dropping off the animals before crowds start arriving and bringing them home afterwards each night. The owners are very good about helping and will stay around and watch, and to be there if needed. Sometimes the animals stay overnight.” This is the fourth … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 12/14/2012 - 13:57 We at the Louisiana Baptist Message wish each and everyone of you a very Merry Christmas. Thanks for allowing us to serve you. Select rating Give it 1/5 Give it 2/5 Give it 3/5 Give it 4/5 Give it 5/5 Give it 1/5 Give it 2/5 Give it 3/5 Give it 4/5 Give it 5/5 … [Read more...]