Fourteen-year-old Victoria Rutledge enjoys volleyball and basketball, and she also plays the flute in her high school band. Although she is as normal as any other teenager, she is unlike most because she has found importance in memorizing scripture. KENNER – Fourteen-year-old Victoria Rutledge enjoys volleyball and basketball, and she also plays the flute in her high school band. Although she is as normal as any other teenager, she is unlike most because she has found importance in memorizing scripture.  “Memorizing scripture is awesome because I’m not only learning it, but I’m putting it into practice in my life,” Rutledge said. On May 2, Rutledge became the state winner of Louisiana’s Youth Bible Drill. She will go on to compete and represent Louisiana Baptists in the national competition at First Baptist Covington on June 19. Rutledge first began competing in Bible drills as a fourth grade student at Crossroads Community Church in Kenner. When her church began offering Bible Drill she got into the competition and learned to love it. For Rutledge, Bible Drill is not only a competition, but it is a fun way to memorize scripture that will help in daily situations.  “We have a Bible study at school that I go to … [Read more...]

Gibbie McMillan believes the same excitement, encountered at a 4 Wheels 4 Him trail ride at Tillou Baptist Church in Northeast Louisiana, can be duplicated in Southeast Louisiana. KENTWOOD – Gibbie McMillan believes the same excitement, encountered at a 4 Wheels 4 Him trail ride at Tillou Baptist Church in Northeast Louisiana, can be duplicated in Southeast Louisiana. New Zion Baptist Church in Kentwood will host the four-wheeler ride on Saturday, June 13. Registration is at 8 a.m. and the ride starts at 9 a.m. “We believe we have hit upon a way to provide a family with some good, family fun in a Christian setting,” said McMillan, the Louisiana Baptist Convention’s Men’s Ministry and Volunteer strategist. “Just like at Tillou, we will present the Gospel and a short plan of salvation. “We plan on having our block party trailer, inflatables, praise music, door prizes, and a meal for the participants,” McMillan said. The trail ride, which is being sponsored by Two Rivers Baptist Association, the LBC’s Men’s Ministry and Evangelism Departments, will cover 6-7 miles of rugged piney woods located deep in St. Helena Parish. The property sits adjacent to New Zion Baptist Church and riders will gather at the church before … [Read more...]

LBCLive, the periodical published by the Louisiana Baptist Convention, was recognized with three significant awards by the Louisiana Press Association at their 2008 Awards Banquet, April 25th. ALEXANDRIA – LBCLive, the periodical published by the Louisiana Baptist Convention, was recognized with three significant awards by the Louisiana Press Association at their 2008 Awards Banquet, April 25th. The Baptist Message, the official newsjournal of the LBC, was recognized by the Evangelical Press Association, in the category of Best Redesign at its recent annual meeting. “It is one thing to be recognized by our fellow Baptist peers. It is quite another for the general journalist population to take notice of the excellent publication produced by Louisiana Southern Baptists,” said John L. Yeats, director of the LBC Communications Team. The Cooperative Program funded publication received first place for Best Front Page in the category of Free Circulation and Special Interest Editorial publications. It also won third place in General Excellence. The Kansas Press Association judges indicated on the score pages that there weren’t enough ads. However, LBCLive was the first place 2007 General Excellence winner. Along with … [Read more...]

What do you think when you hear the word, “deacon”? What do you think when you hear the word, “deacon”?  In various preaching venues in convention life, it seems to have become regrettably fashionable in recent years to caricature deacons in negative terms in anecdotes or jokes.  Although these stories or jokes about deacons are usually said at least partially in jest, they often stereotype deacons as being wrong-headed, stubborn, difficult to work with, and unspiritual.  A church’s deacons are sometimes presented as being resistant to God’s plan (or the pastor’s plan) for the church and as obstacles to progress. One formerly Baptist college has even made “Demon Deacons” its mascot! Perhaps my experience is limited, but I’ve never experienced a demonic deacon.  Deacons aren’t perfect, of course.  I have experienced very human deacons who had strengths and weaknesses, just as do we all.  I have experienced deacons whose convictions or judgment differed on some issues from that of their pastor.  I have seen some deacon fellowships become more like of a board of directors, losing the focus on servanthood that the office was originally created to be.   In rare cases, I have seen deacons who so disagreed … [Read more...]

Question: What is the “Baptism in the Holy Spirit” about? Question: What is the “Baptism in the Holy Spirit” about? Bill Warren responds: Quite a bit of confusion exists among Christians about this phrase and the reality behind it.  As a background, the phrases “baptism in the Holy Spirit” and “baptize in the Holy Spirit” are prominent in the ministry of John the Baptist as an indication of the difference between his water baptism and the power and might of the baptism of the Messiah who will baptize in the very power and presence of God, the Holy Spirit. In the setting of John, the term “Holy Spirit” was a way to refer to God’s Spirit (already well accepted as God’s powerful presence in this world as seen in the Old Testament) without using the name of God, thus the idea of “the Spirit of the Holy One” was the same as saying “God’s Spirit” for John the Baptist (John does not know of crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus nor the Trinity, so we need to keep his statements in their proper historical context prior to these events and concepts). The problem John has to confront, however, is that people could be baptized in water without truly repenting of their sins and changing their way of life. This can be seen … [Read more...]

-OAKDALE – First Baptist: Boomerang Express June 1 through June 5; Michael McIntosh, interim pastor. -WINNSBORO – First Baptist: Boomerang Express June 1 through June 5; Troy Long, interim pastor. -VIDALIA – First Baptist: Boomerang Express June 1 through June 5; Dan Glenn, pastor. -JONESBORO – First Baptist: June 22 through June 26; Charles Wesley, pastor. -JONESVILLE – First Baptist: Boomerang Express June 8 through June 12; Gary Norris, pastor. -NEW IBERIA – Highland Baptist: Boomerang Express June 15 through June 19; David Denton, pastor. -HODGE – Hodge Baptist: Outrigger Island May 31 through June 4; Norris Curry, pastor. -MINDEN – First Baptist: Boomerang Express June 15 through June 19; Wayne DuBose, pastor. -ALEXANDRIA – Parkview Baptist: Boomerang Express June 15 through Friday, June 19; David Shaw, pastor. -FERRIDAY – First Baptist: Boomerang Express June 1 through June 5; Wayne Gray, pastor. -LAROSE – First Baptist: Boomerang Express June 8 through June 12; Gary Hanberry, pastor. -LOCKPORT – First Baptist: Boomerang Express June 8 through June 12; Marty Guidry, pastor. -THIBODAUX – University Baptist: Boomerang Express June 8 through June 12; Jim Duck, pastor. -HOUMA – Christ … [Read more...]

DENHAM SPRINGS – Eastern Louisiana Baptist Association: Bossier City; June 8 through June 12; David Brown, director of missions. -ALEXANDRIA – Parkview Baptist: New Orleans Friday, May 29 through Saturday, May 30; David Shaw, pastor. -ALEXANDRIA – Temple Baptist: Food Bank Items Collected April 13 through April 26; James Sample, pastor. -WEST MONROE – Highland Baptist: Honduras May 24 through May 30; Gordon Dean, pastor. -BLANCHARD – First Baptist: Brownsville, Texas June 5 through June 13; James Hill, pastor. -RUSTON – Cook Baptist: Navajo Country June 6 through June 13; Mike Holloway, pastor. -COVINGTON – First Baptist: Bogota, Columbia June 20 through July 4; Waylon Bailey, pastor. -BATON ROUGE – Florida Boulevard Baptist: City Uprising 09 New York Mission for Students June 27 through July 2; Randy Johnson, pastor. -WEST MONROE – First Baptist: Wales June 28 through July 7; John Avant, pastor. -LAKE CHARLES – Trinity Baptist: Upward Missions in Baltimore, Md.  July 18 through July 25; Steve James, pastor. -BLANCHARD – First Baptist: Romania July 25 through August 7; James Hill, pastor. -WEST MONROE – Cedar Crest Baptist: Caribou, Maine August 1 through August 9; Gregory Clark, pastor. -WEST … [Read more...]

Northwest Louisiana Baptist Association SHREVEPORT – A reception is planned for 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 16, at Summer Grove Baptist Church for retiring Director of Missions Eddie DeHondt. “Bro. Eddie is leaving a large legacy behind him,” wrote Gevan Spinney, associational moderator, in a letter sent to Friends of Bro. Eddie from the administrative council of the association. “The Northwest Association has grown in number of churches, missions and various ministries are being added,” Spinney added. “His encouragement, leadership, wisdom, insight and much more has been felt by the congregations of this Association.” A memory book is being prepared for DOM DeHondt, with letters of appreciation to be included. If you would like to have a letter from you or your church included, please send it to Pattie Yeatts, 901 Mitchell Ln., Shreveport LA 71106. Want a VBS? STATEWIDE – Jeff Ingram, adult ministry strategist at the Louisiana Baptist Convention, has a summer VBS team for zero/low baptism churches. Qualifiers: 1. Zero or low baptisms; 2. Potential for children to be reached; 3. Willingness to prepare for VBS; and 4. Willingness to follow up with prospects discovered during VBS. The LBC will … [Read more...]

COMINGS AND GOINGS -David McCormick, new as worship pastor Cedar Crest, West Monroe. -Cory Taylor, new as associate pastor of youth and children, First Baptist, Lake Providence. -Jarrod Hegwood, new as minister of education and evangelism, Live Oak Baptist, Denham Springs. -Louis Strain retires as pastor of Bethel Baptist Shreveport after 50 years. AVAILABLE -Piano and office chairs at New Birth Baptist Shreveport; call 318.221.5221. -Upright pianos and organ at Foster Road Baptist Baton Rouge to donate; call 225.775.0884. NEEDED -Used bus at North Shreve Baptist Shreveport; call 318.423.1088 or 318.560.1640. -Part-time youth director at First Baptist Port Allen; send resume to PO Box 437, Port Allen LA 70767 or email tracyhebert@cox.net. -Bi-vocational youth minister at Oak Grove Baptist Eros; call 318.249.4282. -Minister of music at First Baptist Wisner; send resume to PO Box 917, Wisner LA 71378. DEDICATIONS -GRAND CHENIER – Oak Grove Baptist: 10 a.m. Sunday, May 31; Ray Shawa, pastor. -VIDALIA – First Baptist: Sanctuary Dedication 10:30 a.m. Sunday, May 31; Dan Glenn, pastor. -SHONGALOO – Union Springs Baptist:  Dedication of sanctuary  was Saturday, May 9; Larry Buford, … [Read more...]

Reaction to the “Great Commission Resurgence” declaration in various quarters of Southern Baptist life includes questions about its tone, focus and lack of clarity. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – Reaction to the “Great Commission Resurgence” declaration in various quarters of Southern Baptist life includes questions about its tone, focus and lack of clarity. Article IX of the document, which was released April 27 at greatcommissionresurgence.com, asserted that some denominational structures “need to be streamlined for more faithful stewardship of the funds entrusted to them” and called on Southern Baptists to “address with courage and action where there is overlap and duplication of ministries, and where poor stewardship is present.” “We must take steps toward simplifying our denominational structures in an effort to streamline our structure, clarify our institutional identity, and maximize our resources for Great Commission priorities,” the document said. “Our denomination must be restructured at every level to facilitate a more effective pursuit of these priorities.” That softened the language of an earlier version, which echoed chapel remarks by Danny Akin, president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, that the … [Read more...]