Compiled by Joanne Brechtel NEEDED Pastor at Calvary Baptist Bayou Chicot; send resume to Pastor Search Committee, Attention: Patrick McCoy, Chairman, Calvary Baptist Church, 1059 Calvary Baptist Road, Ville Platte LA 70586 DEATHS WACO, Texas – Helen Cole, 84, died Friday, Feb. 12 in Waco, Texas. She is survived by her husband, James F. Cole, former editor of the Baptist Message, and one daughter. Memorial services were held Monday, Feb. 15 in Waco. REVIVALS OAK GROVE – First Baptist: 10:25 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday, March 21; Monday, March 22 through Wednesday, March 24; Wayne Jenkins, evangelist; Danny Terrall, music; Carl Gulde, pastor. SHONGALOO – Union Springs Baptist Church: Sunday, March 7 through Wednesday, March 10. Joe Aulds, evangelist, Aulds Family, music; Larry Buford, pastor HEFLIN – First Friday Camp Meeting: Jack Daniels Ministries 6 p.m. Friday, March 5; Sanctuary Quartet, music; call 318.201.2458 for information. CASTOR – New Ebenezer Baptist: Bible Conference/Revival 7 p.m. March 11 through Saturday, March 13; 11 a.m. Sunday, March 14; David Miller, evangelist. WINNFIELD – Bethlehem Baptist Church: Sunday, March 14 through Wednesday, March 17; Joe Aulds, evangelist; Price Harris, music; … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message ORLANDO, Fla. (BP) – Registration for messengers and local hotels is open for the June 15-16 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. SBC President Johnny Hunt has selected “LoveLoud through the Great Commission” (1 John 3:18) as the theme for this year’s sessions. “We’ve got to ‘Love Loud’!” Hunt, pastor of the Atlanta-area First Baptist Church in Woodstock, declared. “Loud Love moves beyond the four walls of the church. I hope to encourage our folks to roll up their sleeves and get after it. “Our theme verse is clear,” Hunt said of 1 John 3:18, which states: “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” “It is not simply enough to say; we must do!” Hunt said. “We have embraced what we believe. It is now or never to engage this generation with what we believe – the Gospel. “Our nation is lost. We have the answer. Let’s do it!” Registration for the Orlando annual meeting once again will provide churches with the online opportunity to register their messengers at www.sbc.net to avoid waiting at the counter upon arrival at the convention. By registering online, the SBC website provides a … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Press WACO, Texas (BP) – Ken Starr, the former independent prosecutor whose investigative work led to the impeachment of former President Bill Clinton, has been selected as president of Baylor University. Since 2004, Starr has been the dean of Pepperdine University’s law school in Malibu, Calif., where he is credited with dramatically raising the school’s profile. “We are delighted to announce the appointment of Judge Ken Starr as the 14th president of Baylor University,” Dary Stone, chairman of Baylor’s board of regents, said in a news release Feb. 15. “His depth of experience and exceptional record as a university dean and legal scholar, his dedication to the highest ideals of the Christian faith, and his profound commitment to public service and visionary leadership make him the ideal person to lead Baylor at this remarkable time in the university’s history,” Stone said. Starr, 63, was introduced to students during a university-wide meeting Feb. 16, and he is scheduled to assume duties as president June 1. He succeeds John Lilley, who was fired as Baylor’s president in 2008 after less than three years in the position. The university reported that Starr was the unanimous choice of both the … [Read more...]

PINEVILLE – It was a weekend to remember for Louisiana College’s Lady Wildcat basketball squad. The 15th-ranked Lady Cats (24-2) fought their way through the 2010 American South Conference Women’s Basketball Championship Tournament bracket to earn their first berth in the NCAA Division III national tournament. LC, though, did not receive much respect from the NCAA selection committee as they are pitted against defending Division III national champions and No. 5-ranked George Fox University in the first round. The Lady Cats and the Bruins, 25-2 and champs of the Northwest Conference, will play Friday, March 5, on George Fox’s home court in Newberg, Ore. Louisiana College was the only team from the ASC to make the 64-team tournament. LC wrapped up its first ASC tournament title with a dramatic 73-69 overtime victory over McMurry, the No. 3 team from the ASC West Division, at H.O. West Fieldhouse before a packed house Sunday afternoon. “First of all I want to give all the glory and praise to God,” said LC’s third-year coach Janice Joseph-Richard told the estimated 1,500 fans. “This has been an amazing journey for the Lady Wildcats. “We wanted to win more than 20 games,” said Richard, who came from San Jose State … [Read more...]

By Philip Timothy, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – Seeking the match to light a spiritual fire that would sweep the state, Louisiana Baptist Convention President Rod Masteller has begun a series of listening sessions statewide. [img_assist|nid=6139|title=Dr. Rod Masteller LBC President|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=61|height=100]Accompanied by Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Director David Hankins, and LBC Pastoral Leadership Team Director Bill Robertson, Masteller is attempting to canvas the state. He’s already held a pair of sessions in Baton Rouge, one in Lafayette and the latest in Alexandria but plans on doing many more. “I want to share my heart with the pastors and, in turn, listen to their hearts,” said Masteller at a session in the Baptist Building in Alexandria. “God has laid on my heart the need for these sessions.” He offered words of hope and encouragement [Romans 15:13] but told attendees there are real problems facing the country, the state and their own churches. Masteller said he’s a firm believer in the Cooperative Program. He added he doesn’t believe the Great Commission Resurgence is the solution to the problems our nation is facing. “This is not something the Great Commission … [Read more...]

By Philip Timothy, Message Staff Writer The Lord will open doors that no man can close, and close doors that no man can open! – Revelation 3:8 COVINGTON – When the Lord opens doors of service, boldly walk through. Over the past 40 years, Johnny Huffman has learned to do so and has been blessed time and time again. [img_assist|nid=6175|title=Johnny Huffman and Murrey Rabenhorst fill a 40-foot container with supplies for an earthquake-stricken orphanage in Haiti|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=100|height=67]Since 1972, Huffman and his wife, Sissie, have run Fairhaven Children’s Home outside of Covington in rural southeast Louisiana. Through the years, the couple have not only ministered to the children in their care, but to their community, and as well as communities in the Appalachian mountains, Mississippi Delta, and on Indian reservations in Montana and Arizona. In 1995, the Lord opened several more doors of service which led them to expand their outreach to assist the needy in Zimbabwe, the Philippines, South and Central America, Mexico, Zululand, South Africa, Sudan, Haiti and Romania, by shipping containers filled with relief supplies, medicine, food, clothing and vitamins. Within days after the earthquake … [Read more...]

By Heather Miller, The Daily Iberian NEW IBERIA – For some, watching the coverage of the devastating earthquake that recently destroyed Port-au-Prince, Haiti, brought a sense of sadness and helplessness. But for eighth-grade Highland Baptist Christian School student Amy Hayes, the tragedy not only hit closer to home than most, it inspired her to keep alive a mission that could have gone by the wayside when her relative died in the aftermath of the earthquake Jan. 12. Hayes had never met her cousin’s wife, Jean Arnwine, who was on her first mission trip in Haiti delivering eyeglasses to clinics that treat the eyes of the overwhelmingly poor Haitian population. Arnwine brought with her to Haiti more than 800 used pairs of eyeglasses that she collected through donations. In hearing of Arnwine’s death, and after traveling to Dallas with her family for the funeral service, Hayes decided something had to be done. “Another one of my family members was starting to collect eyeglasses, so I thought during the ceremony that maybe I could get my school involved,” Hayes said. “We were talking in class the day before that about what we could do to impact Haiti.” The school has embraced Hayes’ idea to continue her relative’s … [Read more...]

By Rod Masteller, President Louisiana Baptist Convention The most powerful force on earth is united prayer. [img_assist|nid=6139|title=Dr. Rod Masteller Louisiana Baptist Convention President|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=61|height=100]Matthew 18:19 (NIV) says that where there is agreement, God will move. “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.” He will give us what we ask for. Across the state there are thousands, perhaps even millions of people who could be saved if Louisiana Baptists came together in great unity of prayer. In this same chapter, in verses 15-17 (NIV), Jesus teaches that before there can be unity in prayer and answered prayer, there must be reconciliation with our brothers. “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.” In … [Read more...]

By Kelly Boggs, Editor Louisiana Baptist Message The much anticipated Progress Report of the Great Commission Resurgence Task Force was presented to the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention on Feb. 22, in Nashville, Tenn. The report outlined six “components” or recommendations the task force believes will enable the SBC and its entities to operate more effectively and efficiently. [img_assist|nid=5974|title=Kelly Boggs, Editor Louisiana Baptist Message|desc=|link=none|align=left|width=78|height=100]If all the recommendations are implemented in their current form, the way the SBC operates will change dramatically. Depending on your perspective, that may be good or that could be bad. The GCRTF described the Progress Report as interim in nature. A final report is due out on May 3. Until then, task force members say they are open to altering some or all of the recommendations. “We have said since our first press conference following the release of the Progress Report,” Floyd wrote recently on his blog, “if Southern Baptists have ideas about how we can improve the report, we are open to hear them.” The fact that the Task Force is willing to listen and remain open to changes is a good sign. Not so … [Read more...]

Dear Editor, With so many bills being signed by Governor Jindal, at the close of the 2009 Legislative Session, one got by all of us who serve as family advocates. The bill that slipped through was Senate Bill 238 or what is now known as Act 194. It has dozens of co-authors, all looking for a way to streamline the Department of Social Services. One of the consequences of this bill is that it has complicated children’s ministries and child-care providers within the church. This act leaves many regulations up to the discretion of state bureaucrats for application and implementation.  It removes the religious exemptions from churches that we have enjoyed for many years. Churches provide children’s activities at little to no cost to the family and at no cost to the government. Now, this bill infringes on our religious liberties and Constitutional rights. This act lowers the threshold of the number of hours a church can serve children, without going through the costly hassle of Class A licensing and regulations. A church with a low cost Mother’s Day Out ministry to the community is unable to sustain the additional regulations and costs. The Governor has been made aware of this debacle. He and his staff know they … [Read more...]