By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ANGOLA – Burl Cain, known worldwide for turning the ‘bloodiest prison in America’ into a ‘model facility,’ is retiring Jan. 1 after nearly 21 years as head of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. The 73-year-old Pitkin native, the longest serving warden of any prison in the United States, made the announcement this week. Angola’s unprecedented transformation is credited to Cain, who governed the sprawling 18,000 acre facility that sits next to the Mississippi River with a firm hand and a strong love for Jesus.  Indeed, Cain, a Southern Baptist, is quick to tell everyone it was Jesus Christ who pacified Angola. HEARTFELT THANKS As he prepares to leave his post, Cain said he wanted to share with Louisiana Baptists his sincere gratitude for the role they played in making such a lasting change at the prison and in the lives of so many of the prisoners. “Over the years it has been my pleasure to work with so many religious groups of all denominations who   have offered their support to our efforts towards moral rehabilitation at Angola,” Cain said in a statement to the Baptist Message. “None have been more supportive than Louisiana Baptists.” “Those who have so … [Read more...]

ON THE MOVE Robert (wife Suzanne) Jameson new as bi-vocational pastor at Emmanuel Baptist Church, Arcadia. LAGNIAPPE Ridgecrest Baptist Church, Ferriday: A Southern Christmas to Remember Christmas Tour featuring Mark Lanier and the Stephens from Northport, Ala., Dec. 4, 6:30 p.m. Summer Grove Baptist Church, Shreveport: Bringing to the Ark-La-Tex the first ever Ice Skating Rink and Christmas Village, Dec. 4-22. For three weeks, a massive 102 foot by 52 foot rink will be placed in our parking lot visible from HWY 3132, and will offer to the community the time honored Christmas tradition of ice-skating in a safe and family-friendly environment. Near the rink will be a Christmas Village which will offer children the opportunity to create Christmas crafts for free, enjoy bounce houses and a Christmas movie at the Summer Grove movie theater. There will also be hot chocolate and concessions for purchase. Cost: $10 per person/student for those wishing to skate. The fee covers ice skating rental. Pastor: Aaron Burger. First Baptist Church, Port Allen: “A Night in Bethlehem” Dec. 4-6, 6-8 p.m. Experience a fresh look of the little town of Bethlehem on the night Jesus was born. This is a walk through tour running every 10-15 … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer NEW ORLEANS – Getting in and out of the Baptist Community Health Services clinic was a bit more difficult than usual on a Saturday in late November. For several blocks, cars in this Lower Ninth Ward neighborhood lined the streets to create a traffic jam as they waited their turn to get their hands on a coveted possession – boxes of food to feed their families for up to a week. Some volunteers unload boxes from one of three Feed the Children trucks while others walked the boxes of food to cars as they arrived on a street next to the clinic. By the time all boxes are given out, some 1200 families are served. Provided through a partnership of New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton’s Play It Forward Foundation and the Baptist Friendship House, the boxes were distributed by 40 volunteers who are members of churches from the New Orleans Baptist Association, along with others who helped from Baptist Friendship House and clinic staff. Among the many volunteers who gave of their time was Ken Taylor, pastor of Gentilly Baptist Church not far from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary where he serves as professor of urban missions. “Jesus told us to love our fellow man and of the … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ST GABRIEL – Inmate Chelsea Daigle had decided to follow Christ during one of the revival services at Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women the day before when she went forward with a request. “I want to be baptized tonight,” she proudly exclaimed. For Janie Wise, those words represented a beautiful picture of Christ’s love and forgiveness, a freedom found in a place where many inmates spend many years behind bars. “The tears, joy and the women saying, ‘Thank you, Jesus,’ made this a special weekend,” said Wise, women’s missions and ministry strategist for Louisiana Baptists which co-sponsored the revival at the prison. “The women who followed through with baptism knew what they were doing. It was a step that said to their peers right there, I have decided to follow Jesus.” During four revival services from Oct. 3-4 at the maximum security prison about 10 miles east of Baton Rouge, 32 women made professions of faith and 28 of them were baptized. Approximately 160 volunteers from 28 Louisiana Baptist churches participated in the revival, which included a gift box distribution to the inmates, three worship services on Saturday, a worship service on Sunday and a … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer HAITI – Lane Howe and his interpreter had just entered the 8 x 10 foot home when they were offered the only food the 28-year-old Haitian woman named Garline had in her entire house – eight bananas. Though she owned very little and had lost 17 family members during a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that devastated the country on Jan. 12, 2010, Garline demonstrated she had all she needed – a relationship with Jesus Christ. The encounter forever etched in Howe’s mind a picture of Christ-likeness, and is a constant reminder of why he and 42 other Louisiana Baptists went to Haiti for a mid-October mission trip. “She had it all figured out and showed me it’s not about the material things that matter,” said Howe, a member of Calvary Baptist Church in Alexandria. “Here was someone who had lost 17 family members and still had some injuries visible from the earthquake, yet she showed me how we are supposed to live our lives – devoted to Christ and excited to have Him in us. “Just like she wanted to share all the food she had, we should be willing and excited to share what we have as Christ-followers,” he continued. “It’s our obligation because Haiti is in need. “How can they hear the Word … [Read more...]

By Jerry Love, LBF Communications ALEXANDRIA – At their final quarterly meeting of 2015, trustees learned the stock market’s decline in late August and September affected the assets under management by the Louisiana Baptist Foundation. Investments During the investment committee meeting Oct. 27, data that was shared about assets under management showed a $9 million decrease in the third quarter, primarily due to market decline in late August and September. Still, assets held by the LBF totaled $164,566,429.39 on Sept. 30, about $3.79 million more than the same date a year ago. Likewise, it was noted that the stock market recovery in the month of October helped to erase most of the losses, with LBC-held assets gaining back about $6 million. Investment Committee Chairman Jim Prince (Aimwell Baptist Church, Aimwell) presented the performance report for the different portfolios managed by the Foundation, and he announced the returns earned by the major components of the LBF portfolio as of the end of this year’s third quarter: Short Term Fund:  0.51 percent Annualized Yield Fixed Income Fund:  1.46 percent Total Return; Equity Fund:  -6.46 percent Total Return The group investment fund which comprises … [Read more...]

By Will Hall, Message Editor BOSSIER CITY – California Southern Baptist Convention Executive Director Fermín Whittaker urged pastors and others gathered Nov. 9 to go all in for the Gospel ministry, saying, “We are ambassadors or not; we cannot be 50 percent.” The venerable Southern Baptist leader spoke at the fourth annual Hispanic pastors’ conference conducted during the Louisiana Baptist Convention annual meeting. Cooperation was the common theme among the three sessions, each conducted by Whittaker. Likewise, he offered key advice on the husband and wife partnership in the ministry. “Remember, she is not assistant pastor, she is your wife,” he said, cautioning pastors from putting too much on the shoulders of wives. “I saw a change in my wife when she began to be a woman and not a pastor’s assistant, a woman and not a conference speaker,” he offered. “She began to be a woman, instead of a Sunday school director.” The call of God In the first session, Whittaker spoke on a personal level to the group, encouraging them not to feel inadequate for the task God has called them to undertake. God does not see a person with problems and deficiencies, he said, but He does look for a humble heart. “I have to … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BOSSIER CITY – Brad Jurkovich believes if they are not careful, pastors can develop a spiritually deadened heart. “When our desire is more of everything else but God, then that is when our heart becomes dull for the Lord rather than on fire,” said Jurkovich, pastor of First Baptist Church in Bossier City. “And pastor, when your heart is dull for God then there will be a lack of passion to live the holy life He is calling you to live.” Preaching from Psalm 51:1-13, Jurkovich spoke to those attending the 2015 Louisiana Baptist Convention Pastors’ Conference about how King David’s dulled heart led him to sin. Much like David at one time, pastors who are suffering a lack of passion for God should get to the point that they need the Lord. “When you desire God more and more then you will have a heart that hungers for God then His high call of holiness will be a very real passion of yours,” he continued. “In your heart, do you desire more of God than anything else? Because out of your heart will flow everything else. Out of your heart will flow a desire to live for God and seek to live the Holy Life He has changed you and called you to be. For those pastors with such a dull … [Read more...]