Fewer than 10 percent of the population might need access to a food pantry, but Fellowship Church has one, for whenever the need emerges.     PRAIRIEVILLE – Fewer than 10 percent of the population might need access to a food pantry, but Fellowship Church has one, for whenever the need emerges.   Fellowship, started by Kirk Jones in 2001, is known for giving things away – such as bottled water to people working in their yards on a hot day, or light bulbs, or flowers to plant in the spring.   "We’re always giving [area residents] something, to show we want to be givers in the community," Jones said. "We want to reach people where they are, and to be real."   Fellowship meets in a fire station’s garage-like rental hall; members set up and tear down for the worship experience each Sunday. That’s expected to change by Easter. Louisiana Baptist Builders are constructing an interestingly-shaped church plant fronted by an octagonal area designed for a day care center.   Day Care is one of the needs in the rapidly-growing area, Jones said. The population has soared from 10,000 to nearly 50,000 in the last 25 years.   Prairieville, about an hour south of Baton Rouge, is known for the excellence of its school system. … [Read more...]

Vernon Parish, home to the fifth-largest military installation in the United States is no stranger to the sounds of war.     FORT POLK – Vernon Parish, home to the fifth-largest military installation in the United States is no stranger to the sounds of war.   Explosions issue from what residents call the "rifle range" – the training area on fort Polk’s 8.1 square miles – rattling residents’ windows and often punctuating front-porch conversations.   After dark, flares glow on the horizon, lighting the way for soldiers training at night.   Sometimes, a low-flying helicopter or plane will suddenly roar into view and seem to brush the tree-tops, giving children a thrill and adults a racing heart.   "Providing highly realistic, stressful, joint and combined arms training across the full spectrum of conflict (current and future)" is the goal of the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) at Fort Polk, according to its website.   Indeed, training is more like dress rehearsal for soldiers, as they interact with other military services as well as local residents who are "role-playing."   Since the training replicates experiences soldiers can expect to have during a real mission, local residents as well as visiting … [Read more...]

Born Nov. 22, 1927, E.J. Bradshaw, Director of Missions for the Vernon Association, was born again the fourth week of July in 1937.     LEESVILLE – Born Nov. 22, 1927, E.J. Bradshaw, Director of Missions for the Vernon Association, was born again the fourth week of July in 1937.   In Mangham, La., where Bradshaw was reared, revival happened every year the fourth week of July, he said. This particular year, Bradshaw’s father, who had one of the few cars in the area, was getting the vehicle ready to tow a trailer throughout the community so that he could bring people to church.   Bradshaw, who was just leaving the barn from feeding the animals, remembered his father calling him over to the Model T.   "I knew it was serious and wondered what I’d done," he said.   "Son, do you know you’re a sinner?" his father asked him.   "I might not have been elected as the model boy of the community, but I would have been nominated," Bradshaw said. "But that day I learned I was a sinner. Dad also told me about Jesus and how to give my life to Him, and that if I would, God would do more with my life than I ever could. So I gave my life to Jesus next to that Model T. Even though I tried to take it back a few times, since that … [Read more...]

Brandon Lewis, youth leader at First Baptist Winnfield, is all about helping teens lead lives of purity that glorify God.     First in a series WINNFIELD – Brandon Lewis, youth leader at First Baptist Winnfield, is all about helping teens lead lives of purity that glorify God.   As part of that goal, Lewis provides the True Love Waits curriculum to his students and encourages them to take the True Love Waits pledge to remain sexually pure until marriage.   True Love Waits, a LifeWay Christian Resources program, encourages moral purity by adhering to biblical principles and utilizing positive peer pressure, explains its website – www.lifeway.com/tlw/.   "The basic idea that I try to teach students is that purity is possible," Lewis said. "First Corinthians 10:13 teaches us that God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can handle and will also provide a way out of a tempting situation. For those who have already crossed the line and have become involved in sexual activity, forgiveness is available and a new commitment to purity can be made."   Caroline Kelley, a senior at Winnfield Senior High School and one of Lewis’ students, took her pledge a year ago this past January, but has always told … [Read more...]

True Love Waits® is one of several approaches to challenging teenagers and college students to make a commitment to sexual abstinence until marriage.     True Love Waits® is one of several approaches to challenging teenagers and college students to make a commitment to sexual abstinence until marriage.   Created by LifeWay Christian Resources, True Love Waits is designed to encourage moral purity by adhering to biblical principles.   This youth-based international campaign utilizes positive peer pressure by encouraging those who make a commitment to refrain from pre-marital sex to challenge their peers to do the same. Find out more about True Love Waits online: www.lifeway.com/tlw   Following are some of the questions dealt with on the website: What does sexual purity mean exactly? Sexual purity includes abstaining from intercourse until marriage, but that is not all it means. Jesus said, "You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:27-28).   By Jesus’ definition, being sexually pure means not even dwelling on thoughts of sex with someone other than a … [Read more...]

If there is any question about where the focus of the North American Mission Board lies as it enters the New Year, those questions quickly dissipate after talking with key leadership.     ALPHARETTA, Ga. (BP) – Evangelism. Church planting. Missions.   If there is any question about where the focus of the North American Mission Board lies as it enters the New Year, those questions quickly dissipate after talking with key leadership.   "We want to be about evangelism and church planting and sending missionaries who do evangelism and church planting," says Interim Vice President for Missions Harry Lewis. That simple statement sums up the board’s direction as it stands on the threshold of 2007 and looks toward its 10th anniversary this June.   "We spent several months in listening sessions with our state partners and we heard those three primary objectives as being the areas they would like us to focus on," Lewis said. "We are not reducing the other objectives we have had since our founding, we are just narrowing our focus."   Shortly after its launch in June 1997 the board announced six Major Ministry Objectives. It’s those objectives that have been distilled down to three -– sharing Christ, starting churches and … [Read more...]

Give him a cake, or just about anything, and Bubba Smith can turn it into cash that helps meet the needs of families with mounting medical expenses.     WINNSBORO – Give him a cake, or just about anything, and Bubba Smith can turn it into cash that helps meet the needs of families with mounting medical expenses.   A spry 80-year-old, Smith uses his abilities as an auctioneer to raise money for schools, churches and especially for those who need help with medical expenses, he said. Having raised as much as $27,000 at one benefit auction in his 35 years as an auctioneer, Smith is an expert at working a crowd.   "Everybody knows it’s a fundraiser," he said of a benefit auction. "It’s not like a regular auction. I can look at the crowd and know how much time I can spend on one thing. If you’ve gotten so much money out of a crowd, then you know when they’ll stop bidding."   Smith has auctioned cakes to individuals for as much as $500. Once he continually re-sold a cake until it brought about $1,200.   "It’s not the cake," he explained. "Sometimes something tells me to do something different. If somebody will give $100, then that means somebody else stopped bidding at $90 or $95. If I can get the buyer to donate it … [Read more...]

In Iowa, it’s legal for a man to beat his wife as long as he doesn’t incapacitate her," April Bolgiano tells pregnant women considering an abortion who come to the Vernon Pregnancy Resource Center.     LEESVILLE – "In Iowa, it’s legal for a man to beat his wife as long as he doesn’t incapacitate her," April Bolgiano tells pregnant women considering an abortion who come to the Vernon Pregnancy Resource Center.   The law, though of course ridiculous, is nevertheless still on that state’s books, Bolgiano said.   Many women, by and large, assume the legality of abortion also makes it a morally sound decision, she continued. Bolgiano makes short work of stripping that notion away, pointing out also the moral failings of slavery, which was legal in the nation for decades.   "Legal doesn’t make it okay," said Bolgiano who uses a variety of strategies to talk women out of getting an abortion, including life-like replicas of fetuses at various stages.   Bolgiano is director of the Vernon Baptist Association’s pregnancy center.   As early as twelve weeks, facial features as well as toes and fingers are clearly distinguishable on the replica which fits snugly in the palm of an adult’s hand. It looks like a baby and … [Read more...]

Beth Moore, Dennis Jernigan, The Centurymen and John Maxwell all are on the calendar of First Baptist Lafayette this spring, where Steve Horn is pastor. LAFAYETTE – Beth Moore, Dennis Jernigan, The Centurymen and John Maxwell all are on the calendar of First Baptist Lafayette this spring, where Steve Horn is pastor.   n Renowned author and Bible teacher Beth Moore is slated to speak Feb. 24 to tens of thousands of women across North America in a live satellite simulcast based on her new book "Get Out of That Pit."  Note: First Eunice and Calvary Alexandria also will be hosting the simulcast.   In a special message titled Straight Talk About God’s Deliverance, Moore is expected to discuss the fact that deliverance is for everyone – no matter how you got stuck, no matter how long you’ve been down, whether you think you deserve it or not. From her own personal experience, Moore is to share the healing to be found in Jesus and will present a message of hope.   n Just a couple of weeks later, at 6 p.m. Sunday, March 4, worship artist, songwriter and author, Dennis Jernigan, is to be in concert at First Lafayette, 1100 Lee Avenue. Nicknamed by a pastor as "America’s lead worshiper," the songs of Dennis Jernigan, such … [Read more...]

SHREVEPORT – Parkview Shreveport has planned a Kirkin of the Tartans, a special Scottish/Celtic service at 11 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 18.   CASTOR – Fishing for a Mission: Bass fishing tournament April 14 at Clark’s Marina on the Red River in South Bossier Parish. Every person fishing in the tournament will walk away with a prize for participating. All money raised is to be going towards mission work. Young Harmony is to be in concert the evening before, April 13, at the marina. Contact David Lea at 318-544-7254 or Preston Young at 318-544-8055 for registration and other information. SULPHUR – Houston River Baptist provides the plan of salvation on its website, www.houstonriverbc.org. It also has some "funnies" that are worth giggling over, such as:   "An elderly woman had just returned to her home from an evening of church services when she was startled by an intruder. She ... yelled, ‘Stop! Acts 2:38!’ (Repent and be baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins may be forgiven.) The burglar stopped in his tracks [and, as he was being cuffed, explained:] ‘She said she had an ax and two 38s!’ Remember, knowing scripture can save your life in more ways than one."   The website reports more than 200 people … [Read more...]