Not even the rainy weather could dampen the spirits of the 85 teens who came to Wednesday morning’s ‘See You at the Pole’ at Buckeye High School in Deville, La. STATEWIDE – Not even the rainy weather could dampen the spirits of the 85 teens who came to Wednesday morning’s ‘See You at the Pole’ at Buckeye High School in Deville, La. Wednesday morning youth ministers and ministry teams throughout Louisiana and the nation gathered at schools to offer encouragement and assist students as they came together to pray. In Deville, the event was moved into the school’s auditorium where the gathering of students and faculty were joined by youth ministers and ministry teams from several local churches. “You are forced to make a lot of choices about who you are,” said Matt McCann, director of youth and education at Longview Baptist Church in Deville. “This morning’s event allows you the opportunity to pray for your school, friends, teachers, government and nation. Through prayer God can change our community, state, nation and world.” Shortly afterwards, the students broke up into small groups to pray individually and to share testimony. Following the prayer time, there was school-wide assembly sponsored by the FCS (Fellowship … [Read more...]

HAUGHTON – First Baptist is to host Naim Aksam, a Turkish pastor, as speaker during morning worship at 8:15 a.m. and 10:50 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 14. Gevan Spinney, pastor. BATON ROUGE – CrossPoint Baptist’s Fall Youth Retreat to be held Oct. 5-6 will feature SERAPH in concert. Charlie Turner, youth pastor; Landon Dowden, pastor. SULPHUR – Pastor Appreciation Day is to be celebrated at First Baptist with a reception following the evening worship service Sunday, Oct. 7. David Holder, pastor. NEW IBERIA – Highland Baptist’s Deacon Retreat is set for Saturday, Oct. 5 and Sunday Oct. 6, at Acadian Baptist Center. Cost is $46.50. David Denton, pastor. BATON ROUGE – Jefferson Baptist is to record its Twin Living Christmas Trees music Monday, Oct. 15 and Tuesday, Oct. 16. Alan Shoumaker, minister of music; Tommy French, pastor. BATON ROUGE – David Hedgepeth is leading a 9:30 a.m. Wednesday Bible study through Oct. 31 at Jefferson Baptist. Tommy French, pastor. LAKE CHARLES – The Baptist Golf Fellowship Fall Tournament, sponsored by Baptist Message and Louisiana Baptist Foundation for all members and ministers is set for 1 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15 through noon Tuesday, Oct. 16, at Lake Charles Country Club. The cost is $110. … [Read more...]

COMINGS, GOINGS Roger Dunlap resigned as pastor of Macedonia Baptist Holden. Asah Hudgins, new as pastor at Crossroads Hammond. Paul Edinfield, new as resort ministry pastor in Grand Isle.   NEEDED Sherwood Baptist Baton Rouge seeks part-time pre-school/children’s director. David Womack, pastor First Baptist Farmerville seeks pastor. Trinity Baptist Pineville seeks permanent part-time youth minister; permanent part-time children’s minister or full-time student minister. Darryl Hoychick, pastor. St. Landry Baptist seeks a piano player. First Baptist Logansport seeks full-time minister of music/education and part-time minister of youth. Call Pastor Al Turner at 318.697.4481. First Baptist Florien seeks part-time minister of music. Call 318.586.4175. Cheniere Baptist West Monroe needs head nursery worker. Call 318. 801.9244 or 318. 547.9267. Camp Living Waters needs two diesel engines to run the water slide. Call 985.345.1831. First Baptist Monroe seeks a music minister. Alan Miller, pastor.   AVAILABLE Billy Miller available for supply, interim or bivocational music director. Call 318. 487.6127. Roger Dunlap available for pastor, interim pastor and pulpit supply. Call … [Read more...]

Forty people from across the nation converged on First Baptist last weekend to help launch Louisiana Baptists’ first official Acts 1:8 Renewal Weekend. CALHOUN – Forty people from across the nation converged on First Baptist last weekend to help launch Louisiana Baptists’ first official Acts 1:8 Renewal Weekend. They were joined by about 250 members from the church where about 375 people attend Sunday morning worship in this growing community 15 miles west of Monroe. The event, piloted by Cornerstone Baptist in Denver, Colo., last March, is part of the Church Renewal Journey, an expanded version of what 30 years ago were Lay Renewal Weekends. Sept. 21-23 was the national launch date. “To me, First Calhoun was an ideal church to launch the weekend in Louisiana because they’re mission-active already,” said Ivan Harless, Louisiana Baptist Convention consultant for Church Renewal Journeys. “It seemed like the whole staff caught the vision for this.” Morgan McCallister, a member at First Calhoun, was chairman of a five-person coordinating team for the Acts 1:8 weekend. “We did this to motivate more people in the church, to get everyone on the same page – being mission-minded in every area, locally around the church … [Read more...]

The idea of tailgating before a baptism celebration might seem rather unusual to some, but at NewSpring Church, it’s part of an effort to reach people with the creativity and relevance found in the Bible.  ANDERSON, S.C. – The idea of tailgating before a baptism celebration might seem rather unusual to some, but at NewSpring Church, it’s part of an effort to reach people with the creativity and relevance found in the Bible. The fast-growing Southern Baptist congregation baptized 562 believers during a celebration staged in its parking lot with more fanfare and excitement than most churchgoers typically expect. “We invited people to come tailgate before the baptisms like they would before a football game,” said Tony Morgan, chief strategic officer at NewSpring in Anderson, S.C. “People brought their RVs and set up tents. There were televisions going with people watching football games before the baptism service started,” Morgan told Baptist Press. “People brought grills and they were making food for themselves and sharing with others. It was pretty fun.” The church, which is about 20 minutes from the Clemson University campus, set up three above-ground pools in the parking lot, and two pastors in each pool took about … [Read more...]

Clueless! That’s how many churches feel as they contemplate how to express gratitude to their cherished leaders for Minister Appreciation Day each October. Clueless!  That’s how many churches feel as they contemplate how to express gratitude to their cherished leaders for Minister Appreciation Day each October. To the rescue!  Diana Davis, author of Fresh Ideas: 1,000 Ways to Grow a Thriving and Energetic Church, offers her top ten suggestions. Fresh Ideas 10 - Lots of letters On Sunday before Pastor Appreciation Day, distribute stamped envelopes addressed to the pastor. An instruction note invites each church member to write and mail a personal note of encouragement and appreciation to the pastor this week. 9 - Award T-Shirt Special order a “Best Pastor in _______” t-shirt, cap, or plaque, and present it with flourish. 8 - Original Art Laminate bookmarks created by the children in your church, featuring their art and signatures. Allow kids to present the bookmarks to the pastor personally. 7 - Very merry commentary Purchase a full set of Bible commentaries. Allow various groups, such as Bible classes, committees or church organizations, to present one book of the set, individually wrapped with their personal … [Read more...]

RICHMOND, Va. – In 2003, one Southern Baptist couple was burdened by Satan’s grip on the world. The wife had longed for stability and comfort for her family but surrendered those longings to God two years ago. Now, the family is headed to Central Asia. These new missionaries – along with 46 others – were appointed by the International Mission Board on Sept. 12 at Biltmore Baptist Church in Arden, N.C., near Asheville. The appointment service was part of a reunion week for about 1,000 emeritus missionaries held at the LifeWay Ridgecrest (N.C.) Conference Center. Surrender and sacrifice was a theme repeated throughout the missionary appointment service. Another missionary couple – Jeff and Liesa Holeman – told of their sacrifices. Liesa was home with their sick children while Jeff, a student minister, was at a worship service. There, he felt that God was telling him that he and his family would go to the mission field. Liesa wasn’t so sure; God had given her a similar call as a teenager, but as a mom and successful tax investigator, she was hoping they could put missionary life on hold. “The reasons to wait were good – a wonderful job as a student minister and a comfortable life,” Jeff said. “But good is not good when … [Read more...]

A basketball tournament, rock climbing wall, inflatable slides, music, a food court, a variety of carnival-like games and a FunZone packaged all together isn’t what one might consider a part of a typical outreach ministry for a Southern Baptist church. A basketball tournament, rock climbing wall, inflatable slides, music, a food court, a variety of carnival-like games and a FunZone packaged all together isn’t what one might consider a part of a typical outreach ministry for a Southern Baptist church. Then again, times they are changing. A Connect 3-on-3 basketball tournament and the Family FunZone, the brainchild of Ken Thomas and Gabe Norris, is meant to help churches get outside their walls and in front of new people. “It is a wonderful way to introduce your church to the community,” Thomas said. “It allows a church to get outside its walls, and to approach people in the community in a non-threatening way. It allows them to approach people in the community in a different way.” The pair’s first Connect 3-on-3 Tournament was such a huge success; they decided to take a leap of faith when they quit their jobs at LifeWay Christian Resources in    September to start Connect Ministries. Operating out of a Croc shoe … [Read more...]

The annual gathering of pastors in Louisiana – known as the Pastors Conference, is set to start at 8:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 12, at Kingsville Baptist, where Bart Walker is pastor. PINEVILLE – The annual gathering of pastors in Louisiana – known as the Pastors Conference, is set to start at 8:30 a.m. Monday, Nov. 12, at Kingsville Baptist, where Bart Walker is pastor. “Our purpose this year is to strengthen the soldiers of the Lord,” said Gevan Spinney, president of the Pastors Conference and pastor of First Baptist Haughton. “We don’t have any axes to grind. We just want those guys to leave encouraged.” He and the other officers of the Pastors Conference selected “Strengthening His Soldiers” as this year’s theme, Spinney said. Ken Fryer, pastor of First Greenwood, is vice president; Roy Davis, pastor of North Shreve, Shreveport, is secretary/treasurer. Spinney and the other officers of the Pastors Conference have arranged for several powerhouse preachers to speak during the event, which is expected to last until at least 3:30 p.m. They include Chad Grayson, pastor of Airline Bossier City; Bill Britt, evangelist from Louisiana who headquarters out of Gallatin, Tenn.; Paige Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist … [Read more...]

Using the outdoors as a connecting point for Jesus Christ is a great idea, especially in Louisiana. JONESVILLE – Using the outdoors as a connecting point for Jesus Christ is a great idea, especially in Louisiana. Known as Sportman’s Paradise, the state has its share (1.75 million) of men, and women, who love the outdoors. Therefore, an event like this can be a tremendous means of reaching out into the community. Stan Wyant, pastor of Lismore Baptist Church in Jonesville, decided to tap into those numbers using a fledgling outdoor ministry, which has already netted the church results after just one springtime event. “In the spring, we decided to do a crappie tournament as part of our outdoor ministry, but it was put together rather hastily and did not draw the numbers I would have liked,” Wyant said. “Still, we had two families that became involved in our church and three more families are prospects.” Buoyed by the success of the fishing tournament, Wyant thought – with a little more time and better planning – another event just might attract an even larger crowd. He and his church hit upon the idea to host a two-day hunter education and safety course, followed by a skeet shoot and archery tournament, the weekend … [Read more...]