NEW ORLEANS – A standing-room-only crowd packed Leavell Chapel to celebrate New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary’s largest graduating class since Hurricane Katrina battered both the campus and the city in August 2005. Some 315 graduation candidates participated in the May 15 ceremony. NOBTS President Chuck Kelley briefly reflected on the years since America’s worst natural disaster. “How much we have learned as a seminary family, how much we have learned: That our God is truly able to sustain us in all circumstances,” Kelley told the audience. In keeping with that theme, Kelley preached from 2 Corinthians 1, a passage on the comfort found in God despite the trials and tribulations of life. Kelley called the verses “startling” because it assumes that in life, everyone will face trouble. Kelley asked for a show of hands from the graduates who had faced troubles and trials during their seminary days. Virtually every hand shot up. “That’s not the experience of seminary students. That’s the experience of life,” Kelley said.”This is in fact what we are going to experience all the rest of our days. The simple reality is that as we live, there will be trouble, or to use the biblical word, there will be … [Read more...]

PINEVILLE – Across America the first Thursday of May, men, women and children gathered in churches and public squares to lift up the United States and its leaders. And in Pineville, at Louisiana College, that burden was reflected as well, as LC hosted its own National Day of Prayer event, with “For Such a Time as This” as the theme. [img_assist|nid=6432|title=People from around Central Louisiana came to pray at Louisiana College’s National Day of Prayer event.|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=67]By the time the event reached its conclusion, several of those in Guinn Auditorium made their way to the front of the auditorium to kneel and pray. “It is a wonderful thing to be part of this,” said David Kimsey, pastor of the Sanctuary of Praise in Pineville. “And I pray that this just isn’t something we do only once a year, but that it would be something we do every week. Our leaders are in desperate need of our prayers. That’s why we’re here today.” The LC event featured a number of speakers from the greater Alexandria-Pineville community, including Rapides Parish Sheriff Chuck Wagner, Colonel Jerry Crook and Local leaders at LC call for prayer for the countryMajor Andy Magee of the Louisiana National Guard, and … [Read more...]

By Karen L. Willoughby, Managing Editor DILLWYN, Va. (BP) – Outreach and missions evidently were important when Bethlehem Baptist Church was organized in 1881 under a brush arbor in rural central Virginia: Jordan Taylor, who gave the land for the then-new church, was 99 when he was baptized in the waters of the nearby Troublesome Creek. Records are missing from Bethlehem’s early years, but the church has a definite outward focus today – including a growing commitment to reaching people through the Cooperative Program, Southern Baptists’ method of supporting missions and ministries of state conventions and the Southern Baptist Convention. [img_assist|nid=6434|title=Pastor Grady Johnson sees CP as allowing small rural church to be involved in reaching the world for Jesus Christ|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=67|height=100]“As far as I can tell, the church had been giving a steady $5,000 to the Cooperative Program before I came,” said pastor Grady Johnston, who has since educated the congregation about CP and the benefit of joining with the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia state convention. “I am grateful that from the day Bethlehem joined the SBCV, which is faithful to spend CP dollars wisely, we have set on … [Read more...]

By Erin Roach, Baptist Press ORLANDO, Fla. (BP) – A church with 103 members and an average 30-year Cooperative Program giving rate of 32.78 percent received the M.E. Dodd Award during the Southern Baptist Executive Committee's morning report June 15 at the SBC annual meeting in Orlando, Fla. First Baptist Church in Sparkman, Ark., which averages 60 to 75 people for worship on Sundays, was recognized for "continuous, long-term excellence in supporting the principles, practice and spirit of the Cooperative Program." [img_assist|nid=6437|title=Eric and Sherrill Moffett are presented the ME Dodd CP award by Morris Chapman while church members Don and Martha White observe|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=68]The award, named after the longtime pastor of First Baptist Church in Shreveport, La., who helped establish the Cooperative Program, is presented annually to a person, congregation or organization for sustained achievement in Cooperative Program missions support. "Since the start of the Cooperative Program, the church has given sacrificially because of a deep desire to tell the Good News of Jesus Christ all over the world," Morris H. Chapman, president of the Executive Committee, said as he presented the … [Read more...]

By Joanne Brechtel, Administrative Editor ALEXANDRIA - A serene setting at the OakWing Golf Club became the Baptist Golf Fellowship’s Spring Tournament background. The site for the fellowship of Louisiana Baptist ministers and laymen provided the challenges the men were seeking and more, but was also soothing in spirit with its scenic beauty. “The excellent turnout of more than 100 participants for medalist play on Monday let the sponsors of the event know the semi-annual tournament remains a popular time for fellowship,” said Kelly Boggs, Baptist Message editor. The traditional semi-annual tournament included door prizes from Kelly Boggs, Baptist Message Editor, and Wayne Taylor, Louisiana Baptist Foundation executive director, co-sponsors of the tournament, which were presented at the Monday evening awards banquet at Louisiana Baptist Convention Building. In addition to a meal catered by Kyle’s Catering and door prizes, the Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home, Louisiana College and Pastor Mike Thompson, – he makes golf clubs as a sideline – provided an additonal number of giveaways. Teams from churches statewide competed for a newly-established Church Team Traveling Trophy award. First Baptist Many won the award. … [Read more...]

Compiled by Joanne Brechtel COMINGS & GOINGS Dwayne Rogers, new as interim pastor at Unity Baptist, Pineville. Matt Surber, resigned June 6 from Istrouma, Baton Rouge. Mark Sutton, retires July 18 from Brookwood Baptist, Shreveport. DEATHS DERIDDER – Don Hunt, 67, Beauregard Baptist Association director of missions, died June 11. He pastored a number of Louisiana churches during his 46 years of ministry. He is survived by his wife and and four daughters. DEDICATIONS SHREVEPORT – Woodridge Baptist: Educational Building dedicated Sunday, May 30; Floyd Davis, pastor. ANNIVERSARIES PROVENCAL – Harmony Baptist: Celebrated 145th Anniversary Sunday, June 13; Randy Olliff, pastor. BAKER – First Baptist: Seventy-eighth Anniversary Celebration 10:30 a.m. Sunday, June 27; Jay Avance, Jr., pastor. RETIREMENTS ADDIS – First Baptist: Retirement Reception/Celebration for Frank Stagg, 37 years as pastor, and wife Beverly, 3 p.m. Sunday, June 27. HOMECOMINGS JACKSON – First Baptist: 175th Anniversary and annual Homecoming 11 a.m. Sunday, June 27; dinner on the grounds following service; Joe B. Nesom, pastor. DEVILLE – Philadelphia Baptist: Homecoming 10 a.m. Sunday, June 27; John Roach, speaker; dinner on the … [Read more...]

BOURG                                 BETHEL                             JULY  5-9 DRY PRONG                          HEBRON BAPTIST                JULY  5-9 GRAND ISLE                          FIRST BAPTIST                   JULY  5-9 HORNBECK                            FIRST BAPTIST                  JULY  5-9 SCOTT                                  FIRST BAPTIST                  JULY  5-9 WEST MONROE                       RIDGE AVE. BAPTIST          JULY  5-9 SIMPSON                               SIMPSON BAPTIST             JULY  6-12 CHARENTON                           LITTLE PASS                     JULY  11-16 JENA                                      MIDWAY BAPTIST              JULY  11-15 KAPLAN                                  KAPLAN                            JULY  11-15 LIVINGSTON                           FIRST BAPTIST                  JULY  11-16 PINEVILLE                              UNITY BAPTIST                  JULY  11-15 YOUNGSVILLE                         FIRST BAPTIST                  JULY  11-15 CANKTON                              VATICAN MISSION CHURCH JULY  12-16 DES ALLEMANDS                      DES ALLEMANDS BAPTIST    JULY  12-16 LOCKPORT                             FIRST BAPTIST   … [Read more...]

ALEXANDRIA – The Lagniappe Players Drama Camp will end its 2010 season with a USO-type show performing Friday, July 2, at the Southern Forest Heritage Museum for its 4th of July celebration. The museum is located in Forest Hill. It is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The Lagniappe USO show is to include stories and monologues from real World War II veterans, songs from the 1940s and comedy sketches from that era, all performed by members of the Lagniappe Drama Camp. The USO show is to be previewed at Alexandria Mall July 1, and tentatively also is to be performed at the VA Medical Center in Pineville. The event at Southern Forest Heritage Museum closes out five weeks of summer day camps, one each for 3- to 5-year-olds, 6- to 11-year-olds,  and 12- to 14-year-olds. Teens between the ages of 15 and 18 were offered two weeks of camp: June 21-25 and June 28-July 2. Some of the camps next year will be stay-over rather than the day camps of this year, said Ross Schexnayder, owner with his wife Karen Burns of Lagniappe Theatre Co. The professionally-trained duo are members of Calvary Baptist Alexandria. On the boards this summer: See How They Run on July 15-18, which involves Russian spies, … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Press ORLANDO (BP) – Under the banner of “Greater Things,” speakers during the June 14 afternoon and evening sessions of the 2010 Pastors’ Conference – held at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. -- focused on the Great Commission and the launch of a national campaign to help pastors adopt children. ‘A LONG-DISTANCE RACE’ Daniel Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., urged the assembly to fix their eyes on Jesus and follow His example. He used the example of a marathon, echoing the author of Hebrews, to teach on the necessity of focus and endurance to finish the life of faith. Teaching from the text of Hebrews 12:1-3, Akin said, “The Christian life is not the life of a sprinter, but a long-distance race requiring steadfastness and endurance.” The text teaches believers to find encouragement as they run the race, to focus on the essentials as they run the race and to follow the example of Christ Jesus as they run, Akin said. Southern Baptists are called to increase the great cloud of witnesses spoken of in Hebrews 12:1, Akin said. “I believe God calls us to add to this great hall of faith,” Akin said. “I believe what we’re doing as … [Read more...]

By James Dotson & Mickey Noah, Baptist Press ORLANDO, Fla. (BP) – A friendly conversation, a story, a realization and a prayer: that’s the gist of what happens when one person shares and another accepts the simple Gospel of Jesus Christ. And while the methods and venues may have varied, the scene played out more than 1,400 times June 7-12 as Southern Baptists expressed their core message of hope through Crossover Orlando. [img_assist|nid=6446|title=Evangelist Steve Hale uses a survey to witness to Shequetha during a Crossover Orlando 2010 event|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=67]The effort, held just prior to the Southern Baptist Convention’s June 15-16 annual meeting at the Orange County Convention Center, involved more than 70 local churches and 1,200 outside volunteers. Venues included weeklong Hispanic Crossover and Intentional Community Evangelism (ICE) efforts, as well as a one-day blitz June 12 that included 15 neighborhood block parties, visits to homes, food distribution at five churches, free water bottles for tourists on International Drive and a huge family festival for the Hispanic community at the Central Florida Fairgrounds. “The best thing summing up the week for me was for people to see … [Read more...]