By Philip Timothy, Message Staff Writer WALKER – Months ahead of schedule and coming in under budget, the construction of Victory Baptist Church in Walker, a three-year-old church plant, is on a record-setting pace. “I’m am just blown away at how quickly this project has come together,” said Jeff Woodrich, Mission Builder and Campers on Mission Strategist for the Louisiana Baptist Convention. The slab was poured in late December, but the Baptist Builders did not begin framing on the 12,000 square-foot, multi-use facility until the second week in January. Amazingly, the project is within weeks of completion, just three and a half months after work commenced, and months ahead of schedule. “Right now, Steve [project coordinator Steve Hayes] is doing some touch up work. The weather slowed us down a little (couldn’t pour concrete), but I am meeting with the inspectors this week,” Woodrich said. “So, we are close, really, really close.” Like Woodrich, Hayes has also been amazed at how fast everything has come together on the project. “The Lord has truly blessed us. We have had Campers on Mission from Illinois, South Carolina, Florida, Tennessee … [Read more...]
Concord/Union Shoebox Ministry is a huge success
By Karen Knight, Special to the Message CONCORD/UNION BAPTIST ASSOCIATION – God has really blessed the shoebox ministry [for Native Americans in the Farmington, N.M., area] abundantly this year. Concord/Union Baptist Association collected 2,529 shoebox gifts, plus blankets, throws, new coats, sweaters, new clothing, hats, gloves, school supplies, jars of jelly to pass out to adults, adult gifts, candy to pass out to children, stuffed animals, and many miscellaneous items. Also the association collected enough money to purchase 270 of each of the following items: 20-pound bag of Blue Bird flour, 10-pound bag of pinto beans and a 3-pound can of shortening. The cost for this year had increased, of course, from $20.73 per set to $26.37. It also purchased six cases of apples and six cases of oranges to pass out at the churches where we had worship services. As usual God provided what was needed. God never calls us to do anything without faithfully keeping His word and enabling us to do it. He remains faithful and stands by His word to fulfill what He has promised. Over the last few years we have come to realize that the food items are just as … [Read more...]
McMillan: Louisiana’s RA Congress experiencing a revival
By Brian Blackwell, Marketing Director [img_assist|nid=8065|title=Learning teamwork|desc=Nearly 440 people – including 258 first through sixth graders – from 25 churches attended this year’s RA Congress, one of the highest attended ever for the event.|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=427]WOODWORTH – Gibbie McMillan says he believes Royal Ambassadors are experiencing a revival in the state and pointed to a recent gathering of young men and their counselors as evidence of such. Nearly 440 people – including 258 first through sixth graders – from 25 churches attended this year’s RA Congress, one of the highest attended ever for the event. About 340 people representing 26 churches attended last year’s RA Congress. “The emphasis on Cooperative Program and Georgia Barnette Offering have begun to connect with some pastors and they realize the importance of missions education, therefore they are encouraging more activities for boys and girls,” said McMillan, Louisiana Baptist Convention men’s ministry and volunteer strategist. “Therefore they are encouraging more activities for boys and girls. We already have RAs in place and it is available, so they have chosen to get it started in their … [Read more...]
Louisiana Milestones
[img_assist|nid=8067|title=Watson Groundbreaking|desc=Watson Baptist Church celebrated the beginning of their construction project with a cere-monial groundbreaking service on Sunday, April 1. The church, to be located on Cane Market Road in Denham Springs, is 2 1/2 years old and has 125 members, led by Dennis Phelps. For now, they meet in two buildings provided by Angels Unlimited Daycare in Watson. The church worship center and education space is to be built with the oversight of and volunteer labor from the Louisiana Baptist Mission Builders.|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=424] … [Read more...]
Unity Mission Day gives sense of satisfaction
By Staff, Baptist Message [img_assist|nid=8071|title=A Helping Hand|desc=RAs and GAs at Unity Baptist Church in Pineville clean the yard of an elderly church member, Marie Wiggins, a former GA and former longtime GA leader. The youngsters earned a service patch for their work, a meal of Louisiana red beans and rice from Mrs. Wiggins, the fun of working together and a sense of satisfaction from helping someone, their leaders said.|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=480]PINEVILLE – Way back when, little Marie was part of the Girls in Action mission group at her church. In time, she became Marie Wiggins and a GA leader. Recently, about a dozen GA girls and RA boys at Unity Baptist Church in Pineville spent a Saturday getting her sizable yard ready for spring. “They had fun working together and a sense of satisfaction in helping somebody,” said RA Leader Doug Aycock. “It was a successful and fun missions workday,” said GA Leader Iris Rosier. “At our next GA meeting, we discussed the importance of helping others.” The youngsters raked up leaves and pinestraw, picked up pine cones and planted flower bulbs for Wiggins, who is “always out doing good things as she can,” Rosier said. … [Read more...]
LBCH to add second mobile pregnancy care center unit
By Karen L. Willoughby, Managing Editor NEW ORLEANS – “We have to go where the unborn babies are,” says Perry Hancock, president of the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and Family Ministries.[img_assist|nid=8073|title=Second Mobile Unit|desc=The Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home will add a second mobile pregnancy care center this summer, and it will stay in the greater New Orleans area.|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=50] Where are unborn babies? In wombs. “You knit me together in my mother’s womb, …” according to Psalm 139:13. “I have been remarkably and wonderfully made.” Protecting the lives of unborn babies is the reason LBCH started its mobile pregnancy care center last April. That’s why it’s adding a second unit this summer – one to stay in the greater New Orleans area. “Fewer than three out of ten women who face a crisis pregnancy actually go to a pro-life pregnancy center,” Hancock said. “The mobile unit takes the ministry to them. “We know there’s a concentration of women in New Orleans who are having unplanned pregnancies,” the LBCH president continued. “The reason we are trying to have the second mobile unit in New Orleans is because we are having so many requests for the first one from our churches … [Read more...]
WMU Missions: We’ve a story to tell to the nations
By Ginger Culpepper, Special to the Message LAKE CHARLES – The Louisiana WMU Missions Celebration and Annual Meeting speakers encouraged women to tell their stories so that they have opportunities to tell the most important story “of Jesus and His love.” Women from around the state, representing 73 churches and four generations, heard stories from local and international missionaries, each reminding them to tell their stories of how Jesus has worked in their lives. “My story cannot be told without the story of WMU,” said Suzanne Reece, Student Ministry Consultant for WMU SBC in Birmingham. “I’m kinda like their poster child.” Suzanne’s story began when she attended Girls in Action with a friend and learned that there were things she could do in her own little way to help missionaries around the world. “I knew then that God would use me,” Suzanne shared. After getting her family involved in church and learning about salvation, she accepted Christ and “went through a transformation like Superman in a phone booth.” God is using Suzanne to encourage others to share their stories and to share what God is doing in their lives and what He can do in others’ lives. “Because He IS, we get through our stuff and have the strength to … [Read more...]
Christian Education leaders to look at trends
By Staff, Baptist Message STATEWIDE – The Sunday habits of church members have been changing ever since many Sunday Blue Laws were repealed in the 1980s. “Blue laws” (initially a derisive term meaning “uppity laws,” coined by people who disagreed with their intent) kept many businesses closed on Sunday, as a way of encouraging church attendance. When businesses were allowed to stay open, sporting events started taking place on Sundays. A response to attendance options is just one way that churches have changed. Bruce Raley, director of leadership and evangelism training and events at LifeWay Christian Resources, plans to discuss 15 trends that impact churches’ education ministry, in his upcoming eight-stop tour of Louisiana to talk with ministers of education and others with similar ministry positions, including pastors. The April 16-19 event is to be in Swartz, Ruston, Shreveport, Lake Charles, Pineville, Lafayette, Covington and Gonzales. See www.lbc.org/MEtour2012 for complete information. The no-cost event includes lunch, supper or light refreshments, depending on the time of day and location. Pre-registration is needed for proper … [Read more...]
Several state events planned for National Day of Prayer
By Karen L. Willoughby, Managing Editor [img_assist|nid=8077|title=Prayer|desc=Several events related to the 2012 National Day of Prayer are planned at churches and in communities across Louisiana on Thursday, May 3. This year’s theme is “One Nation Under God,” based on Psalm 33:12.|link=none|align=right|width=600|height=640]STATEWIDE – “In prayer we loose the power of God,” says Dick DeBusk, pastor of Alpine Baptist Church in Pineville. DeBusk is to be one of six men praying at Philadelphia Baptist Church in Deville May 3, which is one of several events related to the National Day of Prayer that are planned at churches and communities across Louisiana. The 6:30 p.m. hour-long service Thursday, May 3, at Philadelphia Deville is to include specific prayers for 1. Our Nation/Government Leaders; 2. Military/Police/Firemen/First Responders; 3. Schools/Education; 4. Churches; 5. Families/Homes/Marriages/Youth of our Nation; and 6. Missions/Missionaries, reports Ricky Belgard, prayer minister for the last two years at Philadelphia, where he’s been a member about 10 years. “We’re hoping to make this an annual event for our church,” Belgard said. “At this juncture in our nation there … [Read more...]
Wave of Prayer to crest April 29 at state capitol
[img_assist|nid=8080|title=Louisiana State Capitol Building|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=640|height=480]By Karen L. Willoughby, Managing Editor BATON ROUGE – As of April 26, only one of Louisiana’s 64 parishes has not been prayed over during the Awaken Wave of Prayer. Since the first week in March, Louisiana Southern Baptists have been gathering at their parish courthouse or another designated site, to pray for the state and nation, for government leaders, and for churches and for God to send a spiritual awakening to Louisiana. The Awaken Wave of Prayer is to crest at 5 p.m. Sunday, April 29, with an approximately 45-minute-long prayer service on the steps of the state capitol in Baton Rouge. Governor Bobby Jindal has been invited, as have each of the state representatives and state senators. All elected officials in attendance are to recognized for specific prayer, said Wayne Shepherd, Louisiana Baptist Convention’s executive assistant to Executive Director David Hankins. Hankins is to bring the main message at the event, which also is to include a 100-voice mass choir, said Tommy Middleton, executive director of the Baptist Association of Greater Baton … [Read more...]
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