For the first time in memory, 10 churches in this part of Southwest, Louisiana united to present a gift to their community. SULPHUR – For the first time in memory, 10 churches in this part of Southwest, Louisiana united to present a gift to their community. It was a five-day crusade led by Team Impact, a group of evangelistic bodybuilders affiliated with the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention. About 1,100 people attended the evangelistic performances each night, and 529 people made professions of faith, organizers said. “From the beginning we prayed there would be a holy buzz,” said David Holder, pastor of First Sulphur, to those who gathered Monday night at Trinity Baptist in Lake Charles for the annual meeting of Louisiana Southern Baptists. “Every pastor in West Calcasieu agreed to be a part of the effort.” The event was only the beginning and a template for what the Spirit can do in Southwest Louisiana, the First Sulphur pastor said. Garren and Grayson Benoit, students in the Sulphur area who saw a Team Impact performance at their school, begged their parents, Russell and Rhonda, to attend Friday night’s Team Impact event. The brothers are two of the 529 who accepted … [Read more...]

From a hand-made choo-choo train big enough to ride on at Bethel Metropolitan Baptist, to a 1930 Model A Ford restored to pristine condition at Westside Baptist in Moss Bluff, Crossover Lake Charles had something for everyone. LAKE CHARLES – From a hand-made choo-choo train big enough to ride on at Bethel Metropolitan Baptist, to a 1930 Model A Ford restored to pristine condition at Westside Baptist in Moss Bluff, Crossover Lake Charles had something for everyone. The events that preceded the Pastors Conference and annual meeting of the Louisiana Baptist Convention included the evangelistic Team Impact, an awareness-raising rally at McNeese  University, and distribution of the Campus Crusade for Christ’s Jesus film on video in the Grand Lake/Sweet Lake area, in addition to three block parties – the two mentioned above and at Crying Eagle FEMA trailer park. “We were able to cover all but one of the areas we wanted [for the Jesus film distribution], and that was the one furthest separated from the others,” said J.P. Miles, Carey Baptist Association director of missions. “That was about 540 to 580 homes in what essentially is a couple of villages that have grown together.” Two dozen people … [Read more...]

Potpourri WEST MONROE – New Chapel Hill church:  “Earl and Jane Williams Day” special service honoring Earl and Jane Williams, IBM missionaries; Nov. 26, 10:45 a.m.; Charles Dupree, pastor. ALEXANDRIA – Homewood church:  The Mackie Willis Family in concert; Nov. 26, evening service; Mackie Willis guest speaking in morning service; everyone invited; Jimmy Koonce, pastor. Christmas Programs JENA – First church:  “One Small Child” musical; Dec. 3, 6 p.m.; Todd Rogers, minister of music; Dominick D. DiCarlo, Jr., pastor. ZACHARY – First church:  “Christmas is Forever” musical; Dec. 10, 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.; Billy Causey, minister of worship; Reggie Bridges, pastor. SULPHUR – First church:  “Miracle on Main Street” musical presented by Musical Mondays; Dec. 3, 6 p.m. with fellowship to follow; “Wondrous Gift” musical presented by worship choir; Dec. 10, 6 p.m.; Donald Dukes, minister of praise/worship; David Holder, pastor. MONROE – North Monroe church:  “The Living Christmas Tree” presented by the children’s choir; Dec. 3, 6 p.m.; Kenneth Clark, minister to children; David McCormick, minister of music; Bill H. Dye, pastor. BATON ROUGE – Jefferson church:  “Twin Living Christmas … [Read more...]

RINGGOLD – Springhill Baptist honored members age 75 and more with a recent “Greatest Generation” service. As each member’s name was called, he/she was presented with a rose and a bit of his/her history was read. Dinner was served for them, family and friends. Dorothy Kennedy and Anne Flint were instrumental in preparing the event, Pastor Gary Hahler reported. ST. FRANCISVILLE – The 13-week Financial Peace University is to start at First St. Francisville in January. Joe Ratcliff is pastor. Because of construction, the church has cancelled its Live Nativity this year only. MONROE – North Monroe Baptist, where Bill Dye is pastor, also plans to start Financial Peace University in January. To date, $6,179 has been received at North Monroe for the Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering. STATEWIDE – Nearly every church newsletter is promoting Operation Christmas Child, the filling of shoeboxes for the Samaritan’s Purse ministry. Please let the Message know your total of shoeboxes via phone – 318-442-7728 – or email: news@baptistmessage.com. TIOGA – The Near and Far Challenge is an end of the year evangelism/missions project for Faith Tioga emailed from Pastor … [Read more...]

One new Southern Baptist missionary knows the fears and anxiety of being in a foreign land, unable to speak the language. By Shawn Hendricks Baptist Press CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (BP)--One new Southern Baptist missionary knows the fears and anxiety of being in a foreign land, unable to speak the language. “My discomfort and feeling of helplessness gave me a taste of God’s power and glory in my weakness,” said the man from Tampa, Fla., who remembers his first volunteer mission trip to Bulgaria in 2001. He and his wife overcame their fears and are headed to an undisclosed location in the Pacific Rim region. They were two of 67 new Southern Baptist missionaries appointed Oct. 31 at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau, Mo. The event, which drew a crowd of about 2,000, brings the total number of IMB missionaries to nearly 5,200. It was part of Missouri Baptist Convention’s annual meeting and the International Mission Board’s trustee meeting held in St. Louis. SBC President Frank Page, pastor of First Baptist Church in Taylors, S.C., spoke briefly during the service. He challenged the missionaries to “remember who you are.” It’s a challenge Page said he often gave his children as they left … [Read more...]

Because of a generous donation by the Alabama Baptist Convention, new or returning students living in areas affected by hurricanes Katrina and/or Rita (residents of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas) can receive a scholarship to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary or Leavell College (the seminary’s undergraduate college) for the Spring 2007 semester. NEW ORLEANS – Because of a generous donation by the Alabama Baptist Convention, new or returning students living in areas affected by hurricanes Katrina and/or Rita (residents of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas) can receive a scholarship to New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary or Leavell College (the seminary’s undergraduate college) for the Spring 2007 semester. The Dec. 15, 2006, deadline to apply is quickly approaching. New main campus students are eligible for the awards if they are: --enrolled as a full-time New Orleans campus student for the 2007 Spring semester; and --lived in the area primarily affected by hurricanes Katrina or Rita at the time of the hurricanes. The primary hurricane-affected area is defined as the geographical area from Mobile, Ala. to Beaumont, Texas, up to 100 miles north of the … [Read more...]

Southern Baptists are a fellowship of more than 16.3 million members in about 43,700 churches in all 50 states and Canada. Southern  Baptists are a fellowship  of more than 16.3 million  members in about 43,700 churches in all 50 states and Canada. These churches work together through  1,182 associations, 41 state conventions, 1 fellowship, and the SBC to accomplish through voluntary cooperation far more than each could do alone. The  Southern Baptist worldwide missions enterprise is funded in large part through the unique, efficient, and equitable Cooperative Program.  A portion of the undesignated tithes and offerings of individuals received by SBC churches becomes Cooperative Program dollars. In 2005, these churches sent more than $522 million through the Cooperative Program to their state conventions to support work within the state and the Southern  Baptist Convention. As determined by messengers  to the annual session of each state convention,  a percentage of these Cooperative Program receipts is sent to the SBC Executive Committee for distribution to SBC entities. In 2005 in Louisiana, 65.5  percent of total Cooperative Program receipts  were used for state convention ministries, … [Read more...]

Businessman Joe Backus jokingly refers to himself as the “Minister of Intimidation” for the 66 churches in north-central Louisiana’s Concord-Union Association, which borders Arkansas. RUSTON – Businessman Joe Backus jokingly refers to himself as the “Minister of Intimidation” for the 66 churches in north-central Louisiana’s Concord-Union Association, which borders Arkansas. As a behind-the-scenes kind of guy, he is the one who makes things happen. “I can’t sing, preach or hammer a nail,” Backus said during a recent interview with the Message. “But I can get people to do things. I multiply.” His real title is Mission Development Director for the Concord-Union Association, a position he’s held for going on 16 years now, and his job is simple: involving members of Southern Baptist churches in the Concord-Union association in any type of mission work. “One of his greatest talents is his ability to work behind the scenes encouraging and involving others in a project,” wrote Jerry Key, associate pastor at East Leesville Baptist Church, in his letter to the 2005 Selection Committee for Lincoln Parish’s Lincoln Humanitarian Award, for which Backus was nominated.  Backus really doesn’t … [Read more...]