Hardy Estes, whose sermon at last year’s LBC annual meeting infused the event with new life, is to be one of several guest speakers Sept. 19-20 at a gathering here for bivocational and smaller-church pastors. DRY CREEK – Hardy Estes, whose sermon at last year’s LBC annual meeting infused the event with new life, is to be one of several guest speakers Sept. 19-20 at a gathering here for bivocational and smaller-church pastors. The LBC’s Information Services department says last year’s ACP information shows 1,397 smaller churches – fewer than 125 average attendance in Sunday morning worship – in the state. It’s a Building Relationships Pastors’ Retreat, said Gary Mitchell, event organizer and smaller-church strategist on the Louisiana Baptist Convention’s Pastoral Leadership Team.  “This is to help bivocational and smaller-church pastors to reach out and touch – or be touched by – someone,” Mitchell said. “Probably the complaint most often heard from smaller church pastors is there are too few events planned for the smaller church [and] this event has been planned by smaller church pastors themselves. This event is just for you and your spouse. Good preaching! Good Singing! Good Fellowship! Casual Dress –  jeans are … [Read more...]

One of the miraculous stories that came out of Hurricane Katrina was how Crescent City Baptist Church and school merged just one week before the storm with Celebration Church, where Dennis Watson is pastor. DENHAM SPRINGS – One of the miraculous stories that came out of Hurricane Katrina was how Crescent City Baptist Church and school merged just one week before the storm with Celebration Church, where Dennis Watson is pastor. Celebration’s Airline campus – in a shopping mall it had bought – was under water, but no problem: the congregation moved over without a hitch to the sizable Crescent City Baptist on Transcontinental Avenue in Metairie. From that day to this, Celebration has been a power house in the relief and recovery of restoring the city and the people who live in the city. But whatever happened to the pastor of Crescent Baptist? What follows is more evidence of God’s hand at work. Danny LeBlanc had resigned from the church to start a mission, but lingered to help when the congregation decided they wanted to merge with Celebration. “We merged on a Monday and the  church did not have an opportunity to meet together before Katrina hit,” LeBlanc said. “Some of the folks ended up in Baton Rouge. I lost my home … [Read more...]

“Missions have a way of stretching you beyond your normal routines and areas of familiarity, where you can do nothing but rely on the power of God each and every day. This is a lesson that affects the rest of your life.” STATEWIDE – “Missions have a way of stretching you beyond your normal routines and areas of familiarity, where you can do nothing but rely on the power of God each and every day. This is a lesson that affects the rest of your life.” These words by Jamey Droddy, director of Baptist Collegiate Ministries in Shreveport, explains the impact BCM – and the missions involvement BCM encourages – can have on college students at 28 or more campuses across Louisiana. “We’re fully staffed on all our campuses,” Mark Robinson said. “The staff we have now, their personalities match to the campus. The BCM’s are healthy across the whole state.”  Students from Louisiana’s colleges and universities served this summer in Africa, Asia, Europe, Central and South America as well as Canada. They came back excited at what God had done through them, and what He taught them, several BCM  directors said.  Stephanie Collins, a junior at Louisiana Tech in Ruston, “was a part in leading 40 Japanese to faith in Christ,” reported … [Read more...]

I have vivid memories of the 1989 pro-democracy protests in China. I was a member of an aviation unit deployed on one of three ships that made a historic visit to Shanghai. At the time, it was the first port call to China by a warship in 40 years and it took place during the burgeoning demonstrations that many felt would transform the communist country. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP) – I have vivid memories of the 1989 pro-democracy protests in China. I was a member of an aviation unit deployed on one of three ships that made a historic visit to Shanghai. At the time, it was the first port call to China by a warship in 40 years and it took place during the burgeoning demonstrations that many felt would transform the communist country. The atmosphere was electric. Shanghai was a crowded city, its then 11 million or more residents ranked fifth in population among metropolises around the world (and first among municipalities in China) ... and we were told there were millions of student protesters in town, too. Several times the broad boulevards were so crowded with human masses to the point that nothing with wheels could travel. We enjoyed special performances by Chinese acrobats and contortionists and the fascinating sights, sounds … [Read more...]

The high level of athletic skill at the Olympics has been amazing to watch. The divers from China were phenomenal. The American swimmers were beyond compare. The Jamaican runners were unbelievable. ALEXANDRIA, La. (BP) – The high level of athletic skill at the Olympics has been amazing to watch. The divers from China were phenomenal. The American swimmers were beyond compare. The Jamaican runners were unbelievable. The story of Michael Phelps’ gold medal quest captivated the world. Anyone with a spark of competitive fervor must be amazed at anyone attaining eight gold medals. To say Phelps is on top of his game is a huge understatement. Paul reminded Christians at the church in Corinth about the need to be on top of their game, too. In fact, he used the Ancient Olympic Games of running and boxing as word-pictures for Christians to grasp his point. His discussion prior to his sporting analogies was of his willingness to blend into the culture, becoming “all things to all people, so I may by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22). He embraced the Gentiles, his Jewish brothers and the weak. After this message, he begins his analogies (1 Corinthians 9:19-27) of the Ancient Olympic Games. He tells his readers, run to … [Read more...]

The 27 churches that make up the Central Louisiana Baptist Association are filled with the spirit – the Holy Spirit for sure – but something more – the spirit of cooperation. PINEVILLE –The 27 churches that make up the Central Louisiana Baptist Association are filled with the spirit – the Holy Spirit for sure – but something more – the spirit of cooperation. Without both, it’s doubtful the association would ever be able to accomplish all that it has. “We have a unique combination of churches in this Association,” Director of Missions Herb Dickerson said. “We have five or six of the region’s largest – Calvary Baptist [the flagship], Emmanuel Alexandria, Horseshoe Drive, Parkview, and Baptist Temple – but the rest are mainly rural, small churches.” With limited budgets, small to single-man staffs of which 48 percent have a bi-vocational pastor, the smaller churches have learned how to compensate for their shortcomings through partnering. “While a church the size of a Calvary or an Emmanuel can do just about anything it wants, our smaller churches such as Cloverdale, First Lecompte, Sharp, or Cedar Grove have to partner together with each other or with the association to have enough resources to do what they want to … [Read more...]