By Staff, Baptist Message PINEVILLE – Church leaders wanting to know how to bring new life into their congregation are encouraged to attend the Send North America Church Growth and Revitalization Conference. Scheduled for April 8 at First Baptist Pineville, the conference will feature Johnny Hunt, pastor of First Baptist Church Woodstock, Ga. He will lead three main sessions. The conference will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. The cost of $30 to attend includes registration, conference notebook, lunch, refreshments and a $15 LifeWay gift card. For more information visit namb.net/revitalization-conference. Send North America is a strategy of the North American Mission Board of mobilizing Southern Baptist churches to plant churches in cities without a thriving gospel presence. Thirty-two cities including New Orleans are Send North America cities. … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 03/21/2014 - 10:18 Ascension Baptist Church in Gonzales recognized Mrs. Mary Ann Gunter for more than 50 years of service as accompanist for Baptist churches in Mississippi and Louisiana. She started playing for churches as a teenager, her last 15 years of service being at Ascension. Mrs. Gunter’s service was also noted in a special presentation from LBC Music and Worship Specialist Benjamin Harlan. Shown presenting Mrs. Gunter a plaque was (from left) Ascension Baptist Church Pastor Dr. Robert Lawrence, Mrs. Gunter and Harlan. Harlan noted that through her half century of service she had played close to 50,000 different pieces for church services, revivals, weddings, rehearsals, and funerals. The theme of the service was commitment to service and Mrs. Mary Ann’s life was noted as a living testimony of the committed life. Select rating Give it 1/5 Give it 2/5 Give it 3/5 Give it 4/5 Give it 5/5 … [Read more...]

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA – Baby boomers are quickly approaching age 65 and approaching their retirement age with a different mindset than previous generations, said Louisiana Baptist Convention Adult Ministry Strategist Jeff Ingram. Reaching this generation may require out of the box thinking, which will be covered in the upcoming seminar “Reaching & Unleashing: Baby Boomers and Beyond.” Scheduled for March 31, the one-day conference will help equip Louisiana Baptist church staff and lay persons to develop a strategy to reach, teach and minister to Baby Boomers, a generation born between 1946 and 1964. Dr. Amy Hanson, a speaker, writer and consultant on the unique needs and opportunities of older adults, will lead the conference that begins at 9:30 am and ends at 3:15 pm. Conference topics will include ministry with Boomers and beyond: re-tooling ministries for maximum impact, service: the linchpin of a successful ministry, the new old: trends of effective Boomer ministries and breaking down the age barriers: practical ways to becoming an intergenerational church. “I am always hearing from church leaders about how they can get Boomers more involved,” Ingram said. “The boomers don’t see … [Read more...]

ON THE MOVE Ben (wife Jennifer) Hackler new as pastor at First Baptist Church, Sterlington. Melvin Mendoza new as senior pastor at Highland Hispanic Church, New Iberia. Casey (wife Dee Dee) Johnson new as pastor at Bonita Road Baptist Church, Bastrop. Tony Thibodeaux resigns as pastor Baldwin Baptist Church. Marty Romero new as interim pastor at Baldwin Baptist Church. Troy Varnado new as youth minister at Emmanuel Baptist Church, Denham Springs. Scott (wife Michelle) Breland resigned as youth pastor at Little Pass Baptist Church, Charenton to become pastor at Plainview Baptist Chuch, Bogalusa.   REVIVAL/HOMECOMING Northside Baptist Church, Montgomery: Revival, March 29-31. Evangelist: Ron Herrod. Worship: Price Harris. Pastor: Kevin Billiot. South Lafourche Baptist Church, Cut Off: Revival, March 30-April 2, 10:45 a.m. and 6 p.m. on March 30; March 31- April 2, 6:30 p.m. for all remaining services. Evangelist: Shane Terrebonne. Worship: Gerard LaVargne. Pastor: Shane Terrebonne. Vatican Baptist Church, Carencro: Revival, March 30-April 2, Evangelist: Joe Aulds. Pastor: Chad Thibodeaux. Enon Baptist Church, Franklinton: 175th Anniversary, March 30, 10 a.m. with covered dish luncheon to follow. Speaker: Dean … [Read more...]

NEW ORLEANS – Senior Fest, an annual one-day event at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary designed especially for senior adults, is set for April 11 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Senior Fest, themed “Living, Learning & All That Jazz,” will feature inspirational Bible teaching, insightful and educational seminars, and the opportunity to meet new people from across the Gulf Coast region. New Orleans Seminary President Chuck Kelley will be the featured speaker for the one-day event. Other speakers and topics will include seminary professors Archie England (More Hard Sayings of the Old Testament), Jim Parker (Archaeology in the New Testament), Jimmy Dukes (Reaching the Unreachable), Kristyn Carver (Too Blessed to be Stressed), Jeanine Bozeman (Lessons Learned Along the Way), Rhonda Kelley (Talking is a Gift), Steve Lemke (What’s All This Talk about Calvinism), and many more. Senior Fest 2014 participants who arrive early on April 10 will enjoy a tour of the NOBTS Bible and Archaeology Museum. Participants will also have the opportunity to enjoy a free choral event, “History Through Worship,” presented by the Seminary Chorus at 7 p.m. in Leavell Chapel. Registration for Senior Fest is $30 per person and includes light … [Read more...]

By Jerry Love, LBF Communications Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Dr. Jeff Raines, Pastor of FBC Shreveport, for providing much of the information reflected in this article. The first time “Miss Vivian” came to my office several years ago I knew she was special. A very proper and gracious lady, she presented herself in a quiet but determined manner.  As she spoke her sparkling eyes lightly danced, as if they were brushing words from an invisible palette and arranging them in phrases to be delivered by her lips. Her words were carefully measured as if each were a denomination of currency not to be overspent. The meaning of her name fit Vivian well: vibrant, full of life.  Although she was not boisterous or vigorous she lived her life in her own intentional, resolute and purposeful way.  Her desire was for others to know her Savior, Jesus Christ – the Giver of Life. It was no surprise to learn that her educational background was English with a minor in library science.  She and her four siblings were raised by hardworking, Christian parents in North Louisiana.  They saw to it that all five children received their degrees, taking advantage of the state college in the area. Vivian was the oldest of the children and was known … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Wed, 03/26/2014 - 13:34 Students, alumni, people from the community gathered to pray for Louisiana College on Monday, March 24 in front of Guinn Auditorium. Because LC officials would allow only students into Guinn to pray, everyone stayed outside in front of the building. The group which began with only 20 swelled to more than 50 during the day. The group -- Prayers for Progress -- finished the day at 5 p.m. just as they had begun it with prayer. By Staff, Baptist Message PINEVILLE – Louisiana College students, alumni, two trustees and members of the community gathered March 24 in front of Guinn Auditorium to pray for the future of the school. The group that organized the prayer event – Prayers for Progress – was calling for LC President Joe Aguillard to resign or be removed by the school’s board of trustees. Organized the week of March 17, the Prayer for Progress group placed fliers at various locations throughout the campus sometime on Wednesday asking students, alumni, faculty and others to join them for a time of prayer. The flyer also used the word “strike” to describe the event. The gathering was slated to begin at 8 a.m. inside Guinn Auditorium. The following day, Thursday, March 20, … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Wed, 03/26/2014 - 13:48 Students, alumni, people from the community gather in a circle in front of Guinn Auditorium to pray for the future of the college on Monday, March 24 at 8 a.m. LC officials denied access to all but students into Guinn Auditorium. However the students who did participate in the event decided not to go in and stayed outside of the building. … [Read more...]

A group of current members of the Louisiana College Board of Trustees have issued a joint "Open Letter to Louisiana Baptists" regarding their concerns over issues related to Louisiana College. This is for immediate release and we have chosen to send this to the Baptist Press, the Baptist Message and to The Town Talk of Alexandria, Louisiana. ********************************************************* Dear Louisiana Baptists, The undersigned members of the Board of Trustees of Louisiana College have come to the conclusion that due in part to our fiduciary responsibility to the Louisiana Baptist Convention as duly elected members of the Board of Trustees, and in part to preserve our integrity and testimony before God, our families, and our churches, we are forced to make a public statement regarding our concerns over actions of the administration of Louisiana College. This is a statement that we were ready to make last year upon calling for the resignation or termination of the President of Louisiana College but due, in large part, to the undue influence of the Executive Director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention our actions were derailed and the President remained. The great contribution of Baptists in American history has been … [Read more...]

Submitted by philip on Fri, 03/28/2014 - 18:01 Several Louisiana College trustees extend regrets to Executive Director   Current Louisiana College trustee Jim Garlington responded to a contact from Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Director David Hankins concerning his signature on an open letter to Louisiana Baptists. The letter addresses the current situation surrounding Louisiana College President, Dr. Joe Aguillard. Garlington told Hankins he voiced concerns over language in the letter that disparages Hankins influence on the LC board and asked for its removal prior to release.  While supporting the letter’s position regarding Aguillard, Garlington apologized for the comments against Hankins. Hankins indicated at least two other signees have also extended regrets regarding the remarks. Garlington’s email is below:   From: Jim Garlington Date: March 28, 2014 at 1:08:22 PM CDT To: David Hankins Subject: open letter   Dear Dr. Hankins: Please accept this clarification of my position relative to the "Open Letter" to Louisiana. Baptists published in the Town Talk today.  My sole intent was and is to call for a change in the administration (Presidency) of Louisiana College!  My signature … [Read more...]