The 2014 Louisiana Baptists’ Woman’s Missionary Union Mission Celebration and Annual Meeting featured a panel of missionaries among its many items on the schedule. This year’s mission celebration and annual meeting is scheduled for April 10-11 at Airline Baptist Church in Bossier City. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BOSSIER CITY – Surrender, sacrifice and serve. That’s not only the focus but the challenge for the upcoming Louisiana Baptists’ Woman’s Missionary Union Mission Celebration and Annual Meeting. “Surrender, sacrifice, serve, is clearly defined in Mark 8:34 and our challenge to live All-for-You lives, made possible as we accept Christ’s command to ‘deny yourself, take up your cross and follow Me,’” said Janie Wise, women’s missions and ministry strategist for Louisiana Baptists. “Our objective would be everyone in attendance on April 10-11 will depart on Saturday afternoon refocused and recommitted to live All-for-You lives that engage in mission and ministry open doors to share the Gospel in ways that lead the lost to a saving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.” Scheduled for April 10-11 at Airline Baptist Church in Bossier City, the 115th annual meeting will celebrate how WMU is participating in … [Read more...]

By Chuck Lawless, Professor of Evangelism and Missions, Southeastern Seminary Recently, I posted about burdens pastors often share with our Lawless Group consulting team. Others have since asked what we hear from church staff members. In response to that request, here are topics of pain we often hear from staff. Again, I ask you to use this post as a catalyst to pray for your church’s staff members. Lacking time with senior leadership Given the size of some churches, it may be difficult for staff to spend significant time with the senior leader – but that reality seldom lessens the desire of staff to have face-to-face conversations. Staff often struggle when they have no more time with the senior leader than does the typical layperson. Having no “safe” place to be honest This burden is obviously connected to the previous one. Our consultant team often hears these concerns simply because staff believe they have no other place to go with their concerns. Lacking clear role expectations  Sometimes leaders know in their mind exactly what they expect from staff, but the church has provided no written job descriptions. In other cases, a job description is provided, but expectations are different than the written narrative. In … [Read more...]

By Obbie Todd, Student Minister at Zoar Baptist Church, Baton Rouge Nearly 200 years ago, in modern-day Myanmar, two fearful disciples of Jesus Christ made their way down to a muddy river to be baptized. At night. It was the only way these two men had agreed to be baptized was under the cloak of darkness, hidden from the condemning eyes of their Burmese brothers. After all, to be identified as ‘Christian’ in Southeast Asia was to risk social, financial, and mortal danger. In many parts it’s still the same today. Baptizing these men was Adoniram Judson, the first American missionary and first to the country of Burma. Judson was a Baptist. He’d become so on his trans-Atlantic voyage. Nevertheless, after immersing each man in the river, Judson marked the occasion with a mix of joy and sorrow: Perhaps Jesus looked down on us, pitied and forgave our weaknesses, and marked us for his own; perhaps, if we deny him not, he will acknowledge us another day, more publicly than we venture at present to acknowledge him. (1819) Fast-forward 200 years. Two more souls have given their lives to Jesus. However these disciples aren’t fearful for their lives. In fact, they live in America, with no physical barriers to their baptism. Yet these … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 03/20/2015 - 09:28 By Jerry Love, LBF Communications So let’s pretend for a moment. Pretend that you’ve actually put some thought into creating your estate. In other words you’ve drafted a Last Will and Testament (or a trust of some sort) and executed powers of attorney for financial and health reasons. Now, I know, based on statistics, only about 35-40 percent of you have actually done this. That’s why we’re pretending a bit. As part of the plans you create, you name a person or persons to see that your plans are carried out. This would be attorney-in-fact who pays your bills or makes a medical decisions for you if you’re not able. It would include the administrator of your estate after your death. So you’ve created a plan and named appropriate persons to execute the plan. Now do one more thing – help these folks who have volunteered to help you with your plans! Take time to get organized.  Some of you just tuned out; stay with me.  You don’t have to spend months categorizing and labeling every coat hanger in the closet.  Take a day, a pad of paper and a pencil (or computer), pour a cup of coffee, and make some beneficial notes for your helpers. Income and Expenses – Start with a … [Read more...]

By Jerry Love, LBF Communications In the past several years a relatively new “gift vehicle” has seen more use in providing gifts to Baptist ministry. The Donor Advised Fund offered by the Louisiana Baptist Foundation is designed to accommodate individuals who desire to make donations to one or more charitable institutions in a relatively flexible arrangement. In a nutshell the donor makes a current tax-deductible contribution to a DAF at the LBF then decides at a later date how to distribute the funds to ministry.  The donor may choose to distribute all of the assets or retain part for future distribution or to build a permanent endowment. How It Works Donor establishes account with Louisiana Baptist Foundation by completing the Donor Advised Fund Agreement.  The account can be established in the name of the donor or in honor or memory of another person. Donor contributes cash or securities to the account. Securities are converted to cash (if necessary). Contribution qualifies as an income tax deduction in the year the contribution is made to the account.  LBF provides tax receipt for donation. Donor makes written recommendation at later dates for grants to be distributed to one or more charitable organizations. LBF … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 03/20/2015 - 09:35 First Baptist Church in Bossier City recently held a dedication ceremony for Freedom Fields. Located near the church, these fields host Upward Sports and other events. (From left to right) Espy Moran, Jacob Hester, Scott Moran, John McConathy, Leroy Faith, Bossier City Mayor Lo Walker, David Shanks, First Baptist Bossier Pastor Brad Jurkovich, Jeff Paterson, Mark Rodie, Jarrod Love, Jerry Pipes, and Maj. Gen. Scot Vander Hamm. First Baptist Church in Bossier City recently held a dedication ceremony for Freedom Fields. Located near the church, these fields host Upward Sports and other events. The complex features three collegiate-sized athletic fields that are suited to host football, soccer and lacrosse games. The idea for a sports complex came from the church’s desire to continue its mission to serve families in the community. Jurkovich said members of the church came to him with a desire for something new that would reach all ages, generations, single adults and families. That’s when the vision of Freedom Fields came to life. The Freedom Fields were built adjacent to the First Bossier campus on a piece of property they already owned. Along with three sports fields, … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Press ALPHARETTA, Ga., (BP) – Southern Baptists planted 985 new churches in 2014 – a 5 percent increase over 2013 church starts. “This is very good news as we work toward diminishing the church-to-population deficit that steadily grew larger over the last century in the United States and Canada. It is also good because new churches, on average, reach people for Christ at a higher rate than existing churches,” said Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board. “These are churches like Mosaic in Alberta, Canada. They launched on Easter 2014 and have already seen 200 people give their lives to Christ, with 40 of them being baptized. “They started giving to the Cooperative Program shortly after they launched,” he said. Southern Baptists also saw 208 new churches affiliate with the convention in 2014. In all, that means 1,193 new congregations were added to the SBC. And there are good reports all over the country: In Ohio 37 churches were planted in 2014, up from 17 in 2013. In New York 42 churches were planted, up from 20 in 2013. In the Northwest Baptist Convention, which includes Oregon, Washington and some parts of Idaho, 27 churches were planted, up from three in 2013. In Louisiana 26 … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 03/20/2015 - 09:40 As Evangelist Sammy Tippit speaks numerous students came forward to the altar at Guinn Auditorium to either pray or make personal decisions. By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer PINEVILLE – Revival is sweeping across the Louisiana College campus, student Karen Wagley believes. And a revival March 3-5 was a huge part of that happening. “It really encouraged my heart to see the openness that the students had to worship the Lord, listen to Him, and share from their hearts whether it was confessing sins or listening to encouragement from students that have walked through and have had victory in Jesus name with those same sins or hardships,” Wagley said. “I believe this is one of the strongest ways the Lord helped bring revival to LC’s students, is when the students themselves are willing to stand up and proclaim God’s glory and how good and faithful He is.” This Joseph Willis Symposium featured two services each day and focused on the historical Jesus Movement, a substantial movement of Christianity from the late 1960s to the early 1980s, and the backdrop it provided for evangelistic sermons from three pastors who preached during the revival. Those preaching were John … [Read more...]

By Staff, Baptist Message A pastor and layperson are Louisiana’s representatives to the 2015 Southern Baptist Convention Committee on Committees. SBC President Ronnie Floyd announced recently that Stewart Holloway, pastor of First Baptist Church in Pineville, and Diane Nix, a layperson from First Baptist Church in Covington, were among the members of the committee. Floyd, pastor of Cross Church, in Springdale, Ark., announced the appointments in accordance with SBC Bylaw 19, which calls for providing notice to Southern Baptists of the appointees no later than 45 days in advance of each year’s Convention. The Committee on Committees will assemble in Columbus just prior to the SBC’s June 16-17 annual meeting to nominate members of the Committee on Nominations who, in turn, nominate trustees for the boards of SBC entities. SBC Bylaw 19 also provides that the Committee on Committees “shall nominate all special committees authorized during the sessions of the Convention not otherwise provided for.” The Committee on Committees has 68 members, two from each of the 34 states and regions qualified for representation on boards of SBC entities. … [Read more...]