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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Hebron celebrates storied past in new surroundings

By Mark H Hunter, Regional Reporter DENHAM SPRINGS – The oldest church in Livingston Parish just moved into a modern, spacious sanctuary that re-combined Hebron Baptist’s two-service congregations. The church, located just south of Denham Springs on Hwy. 16, also celebrated its 178th year with a May 3 homecoming service and, of course, dinner on the grounds – actually in the gym. “I feel like we have one congregation again,” said Joe Alain, senior pastor for the past nine years. “I kinda felt like I was pastoring two different churches. Now everything is together – which is a very positive experience.” For the past several years, due mainly to space constraints, they had been holding two services, one traditional at 8 a.m., and a contemporary service at 10:30 a.m. Now they hold one service at 10 a.m. and they have “blended” the formats as well, Alain said. “Our desire was to have the wisdom of our senior saints with the passion of our younger people,” Alain said. “Wisdom and passion together is a pretty good combination.” Founded in 1837, the congregation has met in a log cabin, a larger log-frame building, and several brick buildings until their new, $3 million, 25,000-square-foot sanctuary building was dedicated on March … [Read more...]

Horn: ‘Humbled and blown away’ by positive response to ‘ The Pledge’

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – Enthusiastic. Burdened. Inspired. Confident. That was the mood inside a room of more than 20 pastors from Louisiana Baptist congregations of all sizes and locations during a recent meeting in which they sought to reignite a passion for the Cooperative Program and cooperative missions through an initiative called “The Pledge.” “I need to be challenged,” said First Lafayette Pastor and current LBC President Steve Horn. “I need to be challenged in every area of my life.  If not challenged to give, we always fall back to status quo.” “We believe we can do more together than we can do by ourselves,” Horn told the May 14 meeting of 20 pastors. “And we believe in the methodology of our cooperative endeavors and our Cooperative program. It has served us well and will serve us well in the future. First announced during the Louisiana Baptist Executive Board meeting on May 5, The Pledge is a plan to challenge churches giving less than 3 percent to the Cooperative Program to move to 5 percent; churches giving between 3 and 8 percent are encouraged to increase by 2 percent; and churches giving between 8 and 9.9 percent to go to 10 percent. Churches who already give 10 percent in their … [Read more...]

Louisiana College’s Rick Brewer to grads: ‘Do hard work … and then some’

By Al Quartemont, Special to the Message PINEVILLE – The message Dr. Rick Brewer gave at the 158th commencement of the college he only recently became president of could not have been clearer. “Rebel against society’s low expectations,” Brewer told the 147 graduates of Louisiana College on Saturday, May 16. “Do hard work.” In that commencement address, Brewer not only gave the 123 undergraduates and 24 masters students a life-long charge, he may have set a tone for the future of LC, itself. “The prevalent philosophy of our culture today is, ‘I am going to do what is the least that is expected of me and try to get the most payment for it,’” Brewer said. “In other words, minimum effort for maximum return. Shoddiness and lack of extra effort should never take place in the mind of a Christ follower.” Brewer called on the students to live their lives under what he termed “The Rebekah Principle.” He used the example of Isaac’s future wife (Genesis 24), who not only served water for Abraham’s servants, but put in the extra effort to water the group’s camels, too. “After you’ve done what’s asked of you, you do a bit extra, you do even more,” Brewer said. “I’m here to tell you, we not only would see excellence in the market place, … [Read more...]

Father and son earn their U.S. citizenship

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer FLORIEN – Arturo Us Sr. is proud to be an American. He’s reminded of that every day as he ministers to Hispanics throughout a three-parish area, preaching from the pulpit on Sundays at his church and, also, when he thinks about the United States citizenship he earned on Nov. 6. “I’m thankful to God I’m a US citizen,” Us said. “I’m blessed. I think it’s the will of God that he brought me here to this place.” Us is not the only person in his family who is an American citizen. His son, Arturo Jr., and his daughter both received their citizenship. His daughter is his organist and his son is pastor of El Alfa Y La Spanish  in Leesville. Both Us and his son participated in a citizenship ceremony on May 13 in Alexandria. “I’m blessed to be an American,” said Arturo Jr. “It’s not easy to get citizenship and this is a big blessing in our lives. God brings blessings and this is part of it.” Others in his family are either nearing their citizenship or just beginning the process of learning English so one day they can apply to be a citizen. His son, Rueben, is pastor of Emmanuel Hispanic Baptist Church in DeRidder and is applying to become a citizen in November. Us’ wife, Isabel, … [Read more...]

Gov. Jindal signs executive order to protect religious liberty in Louisiana

By Philip Timothy & Brian Blackwell BATON ROUGE – Hours after a religious freedom bill was struck down in committee May 20, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal moved quickly to sign an executive order that afternoon which captured both the intent and much of the language of the Louisiana Marriage and Conscience Act. “In Louisiana, the state should not be able to take adverse action against a person for their belief in traditional marriage,” read a statement issued from the governor’s office. “That’s why I’m issuing an Executive Order this evening to prevent the state from discriminating against people, charities and family-owned businesses with deeply held religious beliefs that marriage is between one man and one woman,” said Jindal. “We don’t support discrimination in Louisiana and we do support religious liberty. These two values can be upheld at the same time. “Indeed, we celebrate diversity of belief in Louisiana. Diversity of belief and religious liberty are the foundation of our law and Constitution and they should be protected. As long as I’m Governor, we will fight to protect religious liberty and not apologize for it,” said Jindal. The executive order means the 20 agencies that fall under the executive branch, including … [Read more...]

Angola expanding NOBTS extension center building

Submitted by philip on Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:12 Beyond the walls of Angola, other prisons have adopted programs similar to the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary extension center at Angola. The inmate students meet in a classroom such as this one on the prison grounds. So far, prisons in 11 other states have adopted the program used at Angola. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ANGOLA – New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary is running out of room at its extension center building at the Louisiana State Penitentiary and is expanding. Since early February, construction has been ongoing for the Joan Horner Center of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. A concrete slab was poured and two weeks later inmates began their 24-hour, six days a week work on the 11,000-sq.-ft building, made possible by a $300,000 donation. Warden Burl Cain said when the building is dedicated with a target date of April 18, to coincide with the weekend of the Angola Rodeo, it will provide much needed breathing room for what has become a growing program and cramped workspace for the seminary students there. “What Louisiana Baptists have done is sustain the seminary which has changed lives, so thank you Louisiana Baptists,” … [Read more...]

It’s time for participants to register for annual revival at Angola

ANGOLA – The annual revival at the Louisiana State Penitentiary is several months away but those wanting to participate in evangelistic efforts there must register by March 25. Every year, around 150 Louisiana Baptists participate in the opportunity to share the gospel with the 6,000 men, one-on-one, who are in the facility. Worship services also are scheduled to take place in the camp chapels on the prison grounds. This year’s revival begins at 3 pm on Friday, April 10 and ends at 3 pm on Saturday, April 11. Dinner on Friday and breakfast and lunch are provided on Saturday. Housing is provided as well in the state police training facility on the grounds to the first 100 men who turn in their Department of Correction clearance forms to the Louisiana Baptists Evangelism Office. Women may attend the worship services but cannot participate in the personal evangelism efforts in the camps. In addition, women must obtain housing in an area hotel. Everyone must complete a new Department of Corrections clearance form, even if participants turned in one last year. Forms must be emailed to Dianne.York@LouisianaBaptists.org or faxed to Dianne York’s attention by Feb. 25 to 318.445.0055. Anyone attending the revival should review the … [Read more...]

Warden Burl Cain mulling possible run for governor

Submitted by philip on Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:16 Since Burl Cain became warden of the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola in 1995, violence inside the prison has decreased by 85 percent. Of the 6,300 who are inmates at Angola, nearly 50 percent are thought to be Christians. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer St. Francisville – Burl Cain, who is the longest-serving warden of any prison in the U.S. and in the history of Angola itself, is mulling over the possibility of running for governor. His name has been mentioned by some in the state as a possible candidate but Cain has yet to committ to whether he will or not. Signs in support of his potential candidacy can be found around Louisiana and the Facebook page “We Want Warden Burl Cain La Governor 2015” has garnered nearly 1,700 likes so far. He said that April 15 is the latest date he would make a decision on whether or not to run. Cain said he has not received an answer from God but is praying about the decision. And he asks for Louisiana Baptists to pray for him as well. “It’s important to serve Him and look for His blessing and direction,” Cain said. “When you are not in God’s will, disaster occurs. No answer would mean I didn’t get an answer and I would … [Read more...]

Platt unveils ‘reset’ of IMB strategy, structure to trustees

Submitted by philip on Fri, 03/06/2015 - 09:19 In this graphic, IMB President David Platt outlined his organizational plan for Christians and churches to be mobilized to take the gospel to unreached people. IMB trustees adopted the plan during their meeting Feb. 25 in Houston. By Anne Harmon, Baptist Press HOUSTON (BP) – International Mission Board President David Platt proposed streamlining the mission agency’s strategy and structure – in keeping with his desire for IMB to exalt Christ and work more effectively toward accomplishing the Great Commission – during IMB’s Feb. 24-25 trustee meeting in Houston. Trustees unanimously voted to approve the plan. “We want to empower limitless missionary teams to make disciples and multiply churches among unreached people,” Platt said. “We need a strategy that doesn’t cap our number of missionaries merely based upon how much money we have.” Platt noted the IMB operated “in the red” last year, with the agency’s operating expenses exceeding income by nearly $21 million. “Right now our funnel is really small ... such that we’re turning people away,” Platt said. “And what I’m saying, what we know, is that we need to blow open this funnel and create as many pathways as possible … [Read more...]