By JAY JOHNSTON    Jay Johnston D.Min. is minister of missions at First Baptist Church of Covington. He has been to Haiti three times in the last year, most recently in December. The following are excerpts from his diary of the trip, which was cut short because of election-related violence.   PORT AU PRINCE – This last year, as I have prayed for the people and have seen firsthand the damage along with the determination of the Haitian people I have learned to take greater steps of faith, to stay focused on praying for a people group, and to testify of the work of Jesus Christ in Haiti.   [img_assist|nid=7011|title=Haiti Rebuilding|desc=Workers in Bonrepos, a village that was totally destroyed by the earthquake, pour a foundation for another cinder-block house. Bonrepos is one of three areas where Florida Baptists are giving leadership to rebuilding homes. The houses are 12x16 and cost $2,500 per home.|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=67]It appears that God is using the people coming to the Florida House [owned by the Florida Baptist Convention, it is the main place where Southern Baptist volunteers stay in Haiti] to sharpen many of these young men in their Christian walk and I can testify their … [Read more...]

By KAREN L. WILLOUGHBY   WOODWORTH – About 70 unmarried people met Jan. 7-8 at Tall Timbers Baptist Conference Center for what leaders anticipate will be the first of an annual statewide Singles Retreat.   Anthony Wilson of East Leesville Baptist Church participated because he was invited, he said.   … [Read more...]

By ARCHIE ENGLAND   How can I discover and do God’s will for my life?   The quest for knowing God’s will can be an consuming endeavor. It can be accompanied by agony, frustration, fitful prayer, and despair. Those seeking "God’s plan for their life" willingly (or woefully) make changes (careers, homes, churches, etc.) along this path of discovery. Is this what God wants from you during 2011?   Proverbs 29:18 pinpoints a particular tension that, when understood, directs Christians toward a better way of knowing and doing God’s will: "Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained (KJV: ‘perish’; NLT: ‘run wild’), But happy is he who keeps the law" (NASU). That tension is between getting a "new" word from God versus "doing" the Word of God that we already know.   The first half of this verse informs us of what happens when people lack vision (synonymous with prophetic insight or revelation): They act unruly. Hearing newly-revealed insights or fresh words from God’s prophets provides a certain motivation to stay the course. Without it, people lose heart, becoming unrestrained, unruly, running wild, or even perishing – because they become disobedient to God. Life can be quite disastrous when the … [Read more...]

By STAFF   ALEXANDRIA – Three men with long histories in agricultural missions are to speak Jan. 29 at the Baptist Building.   Ron Baker, former Southern Baptist missionary to the Philippines, plans to speak on "The role of agricultural missions in helping people and reaching them for Christ."   Kerry Johnson, who ministers through the SBC’s International Mission Board among the Zapotec Indians of southern Mexico, is to talk about how self-help ag projects such as raising rabbits and other small animals provide opportunities for spreading the gospel.   … [Read more...]

By KELLY BOGGS PINEVILLE – The Louisiana College Board of Trustees received a donation check for $1 million Dec. 14, during a regular meeting of the school’s board of trustees, LC announced in a recent press release. The funds were given anonymously through the Louisiana Baptist Foundation and designated to create a school of divinity. The name of the school is to be the Caskey School of Divinity, to honor a Southern Baptist minister who worked and evangelized in Louisiana, LC President Joe Aguillard said. … [Read more...]

By STAFF   ALEXANDRIA – Despite financial pressures, churches across the Louisiana Baptist Convention gave more than $21.5 million to missions through the Cooperative Program in 2010.   The Cooperative Program is the Southern Baptist Convention’s method of supporting missions and ministries of state conventions and the SBC.   The business and information systems team for the Louisiana Baptist Convention in mid-January announced the totals for 2010 Cooperative Program giving. … [Read more...]

By KELLY BOGGS   Could you provide a brief synopsis of your church planting experience?       Hope Church of Waldheim was started in October 2002. We started in homes, then a rural Fire Station in North Covington, and in 2005, just before Katrina, we purchased a former Cafe/Truck Stop and 16 acres on Hwy. 21 between Covington and Bogalusa.   [img_assist|nid=7020|title=Lane Corley|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=72|height=100]In 2008, my wife and I transitioned out of Hope to plant another church and led them to select their own pastor. Avery Dixon is now their pastor.   Bridge Church started in August of 2009. We began meeting in Bedico Baptist Church’s old sanctuary and currently meet every Sunday morning at the St. Tammany YMCA.   We’re trying an incarnational model of church life, intentionally portable and reproducible. We currently have the Worship Gathering each Sunday morning at the YMCA and at the St. Tammany Parish Jail.   Our first building was a mobile home in the largest trailer park in St. Tammany Parish. The church is about 60 percent self-supporting with Bedico Baptist as our primary sponsor, along with several co-sponsors in Central … [Read more...]

By KAREN WILLOUGHBY PINEVILLE – Pineville Grace Baptist church decided that rather than withering away, it would give its heart to another. And its pews to yet another. What became a "transplant service" took place Monday evening, Jan. 3, led by Leon Hyatt, who in 2002 brought the church now known as Pineville Grace Baptist into the North Rapides Baptist Association, Louisiana Baptist Convention and Southern Baptist Convention. "This is a special occasion done for the honor and glory of the Lord," Hyatt said to the 80 or more people in the worship center that had chairs added across the front and down the sides of the center aisle. "We want His power to permeate this place as ever before."     … [Read more...]

COMINGS & GOINGS   n Eric (wife Shiann) Bradley, new as minister to students at First Baptist Haynesville, from a similar position in Enterprise, Ala. Shelby Cowling is pastor.   n Andrew “Andy” (wife Laurie) Pierce, new as pastor at Immanuel Baptist Baton Rouge. Former Pastor Steve Johnson is now full time coach at Central High School in Central City.   n Doyle McGrew is soon to retire from Goldonna Baptist, but not from the gospel ministry, he says. A reception is to take place at 2 p.m. Jan. 23 at the Charles H. Garrett Community Center in Jonesboro.   n Alan (wife Helen) Knuckles is new as director of missions in Acadia, Louisiana and Mt. Olive Baptist Associations.   n Stan (wife Tracy) Stathan is new as director of missions in Two Rivers, Washington and William Wallace Baptist Associations, also known as Baptist Associations of Southeast Louisiana. He was pastor of Trinity Franklinton.   NEEDED   n Carey Baptist Association’s pastorless churches include Bethany, Boulevard, First Cameron, First Hackberry and Sale Street.   n Baptist Association of Greater Baton Rouge’s pastorless churches include Broadmoor, Cedarcrest, Courtableau, … [Read more...]

BERNICE – In the last five years, "The Church at Pisgah," also known as Pisgah Baptist Church, paid off the debt on the Family Life Center, planted a church, sponsored at least six international mission trips, "joined God in launching four community impact ministries," and poured the foundation for a new worship center to be built in the first quarter of 2011, wrote Pastor Jerry Dark in the church’s January newsletter.   Its goals for 2015 include the participation of 300 people in worship. Bernice, in the woods north of Ruston, is less than 20 miles from the Arkansas state line.   … [Read more...]