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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

In the midst of the storm, His grace is sufficient for you!

By Steve Horn ALEXANDRIA, La. - Here we are again. Covid still raging and here comes a hurricane. Is it 2020 or 2021? It’s like Yogi Berra said, “It’s deja-vu all over again.” Saying something like, “Just trust God,” seems so hollow and void of real compassion and solution. And yet, is there any better answer to all of our problems than the answer that Christ gives? Jesus said to Paul and He says to us, “My grace is sufficient for you.” Though theories abound as to what the “thorn in the flesh” was, we really do not know. However, we do know that Paul prayed for the thorn to be removed. Paul’s prayer was not answered with relief from the thorn, but with one of the greatest promises in all of God’s word, “My grace is sufficient for you.” Why could Jesus make such a statement as that? I want to share with you seven reasons why His grace is sufficient for you! Seven Reasons that His Grace is Sufficient for You! The Power of the Cross of Christ "For to those who are perishing the message of the cross is foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is God's power." (1 Corinthians 1:18) The greatest need that any of us have is the need for forgiveness. Every other need, though the need could be met, would not … [Read more...]

Associational missions strategist Jerry Johnson passes

By Baptist Message staff OAKDALE, La. (LBM) – Jerry Johnson, associational missions strategist for Mt. Olive Baptist Association, died Friday, Aug. 27. An e-mail from the Louisiana Baptist Convention confirmed that Johnson was surrounded by family and other loved ones at the time of his death. Johnson led the association since 2017, according to the Annual Church Profile. He also served as pastor of Dixie Baptist Church in Sieper (2013-2018), St. Matthew Baptist Church in Oakdale (2011-2012) and Beauregard Memorial Baptist Church in Longville (2001-2008), and as a Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board member (1998-2001). Funeral arrangements are pending. … [Read more...]

LC holds first on-campus job fair for student employment

By Elizabeth Clarke and Sierra Boudreaux, LC News PINEVILLE, La. (LC News) – The newly established Center for Calling & Career at Louisiana College sponsored a job fair Aug. 23 for students seeking on-campus employment. This is the first event of its kind at LC and allowed interested students to apply for any of the 162 part-time jobs on campus. Two-hundred forty-nine students attended the job fair inside Granberry Conference Center, submitting resumes and applications and visiting with representatives of the different college departments looking for assistance in a multitude of roles. Thirty-one departments from the school also accepted applications for different positions available. “Our goal is to teach our students the process of attending a job fair in an effort to learn how to properly speak to a future employer and to go through the process of submitting a resume and interviewing for a position,” said CCC Executive Director Meredith Rennier. “Another goal is to keep our students on campus demonstrating how Louisiana College helps make college affordable by giving opportunities for students to earn money while attending school.” Rennier added that more events like the job fair are planned for this semester, … [Read more...]

First Houma credits prayer for wave of baptisms

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer HOUMA, La. (LBM) – Pastor Steve Folmar baptized at least one new convert during Sunday morning worship services from March 7-June 6 at the First Baptist Church, Houma, and 76 collectively since January. If that pace continues the church will record the most baptisms in a year since Folmar became pastor in 1999, when he baptized 89 new believers. “This was unexpected, and we had no clue this was coming,” Folmar told the Baptist Message. “After five to six weeks we began to sense God was up to something unique. “Our people are loving what God is doing every Sunday with the baptisms,” he continued. “They are excited and come ready to applaud every time someone is baptized.” Ashley Golmon is among those who has shared her testimony through baptism. Golmon first attended worship services at First Baptist Houma in 2014 with her husband, Shane, and for the next seven years many at the church poured into her spiritual truths and on April 18 she finally surrendered her life to Christ. Two weeks later, she stirred the baptistery waters. “Over the years I have felt like I needed to do more, and it was an inner struggle because I was raised in the Catholic Church,” she said. … [Read more...]

LBC seeks resolutions, nominees for committees, boards

By Staff, Baptist Message ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) — Louisiana Baptists are invited to recommend candidates to serve on state convention boards and committees, and, are asked to submit resolutions for possible consideration by messengers at the 2021 Louisiana Baptist Convention. COMMITTEES The Louisiana Baptist Committee on Committees will be conducting its work early this fall to fill 17 openings on five state convention committees: Credentials; Moral and Social Concerns; Nominations; Order of Business; and Resolutions. Nominations should be sent not later than Aug. 17 to Jake Roudkowski, a member of First Baptist Church, Mandeville, who is the Committee on Committees chair. Please forward your recommendations via email, jaker@nobts,edu, or the U.S. Mail, Dr. Jake Roudkowski, 78689 Hwy. 25, Folsom, LA 70437. BOARDS The Louisiana Baptist Committee on Nominations will begin its work, also in early fall, to fill 22 vacancies on the LBC Executive Board as well as the trustee bodies of the Louisiana College, Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and Family Ministries, Baptist Message, and Baptist Foundation. Nominations should be sent not later than Aug. 17 to Philip Robertson, the pastor of Philadelphia Baptist Church, … [Read more...]

LC welcomes largest freshman class in school history

By staff PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – Louisiana College rolled out the welcome mat Aug. 12 for the largest incoming class in in the institution’s 115-year history, 350 freshmen. Upperclassmen and faculty members assisted the freshmen as they moved into various dormitories on campus. Local churches and businesses also were on hand for a block party on the campus lawn during Move-in Day. “I am so grateful for the favor of the Lord on Louisiana College,” LC President Rick Brewer said. “All our faculty, staff and I enjoyed helping our freshman get on campus and meet our new Wildcats and welcome back our returning ones. It’s going to be a blessed year.” Brewer also said he was excited to welcome 41 international students among the large freshman class who arrived on campus. “The most important thing is that families, parents, pastors and others are realizing the value of Christian education as a college that looks and interprets culture through the lens of scripture instead of interpreting the scripture through the lens of culture,” Brewer told the Baptist Message. Michelle Iroh, a freshman from Saskatchewan, Canada, was excited about suiting up for the school’s volleyball team and getting accustomed to life in the United … [Read more...]

Bridges to be LBC president nominee

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Reggie Bridges, pastor of the Temple Baptist Church in Ruston, will be nominated for president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention during the 2021 annual meeting. Eddie Wren, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Rayville and a past LBC president, alerted the Baptist Message, August 18, of his intentions to make the nomination, specifically highlighting Bridges’s “heart for evangelism.” The LBC annual meeting is scheduled to be held Nov. 16 in the North Monroe Baptist Church. STATEMENT OF SUPPORT Wren said he met Bridges in 2014 “on a vision trip to Los Angeles as we journeyed out west to consider supporting a church plant in Burbank, California,” adding that Bridges is “active in evangelism at home, too.” “Reggie has proven himself to be a servant leader of Louisiana Baptists as he has served our state well at all levels of Southern Baptist Life,” Wren also emphasized. In support of his statement, Wren listed Bridges’s denominational service with the Committee on Committees for the Southern Baptist Convention, as well as his 2007-2013 term on the LBC Executive Board (Bridges also is serving a term now, that runs through 2022). Wren also … [Read more...]

Louisiana Notables

EDITOR’S NOTE: Do you have a Revival, Homecoming, a new pastor, a community outreach or a concert? The Baptist Message would love to share your church news with the rest of the state. It is very easy to do, just send in your information (who, what, where and when) to philip@baptistmessage.com or call 318.449.4345. To get your event in the paper, please submit your information three weeks prior to the event. ON THE MOVE Chris Stephens is the new pastor at Rocky Springs Baptist Church, Lisbon. Thomas Worsham resigns as Louisiana College Baptist Collegiate Ministry campus director to become pastor of First Baptist Church Festus/Crystal City, Missouri. Tony Carter is installed as the new pastor of Unity 1 Baptist Church, Franklin. Rusty Shuler resigned to become pastor at Camden Baptist Church, South Carolina. Michael Burkes is the new pastor of Unity Baptist Church, DeRidder. Jonathan Weldon resigns from Ellerbe Baptist Church, Shreveport to become the youth minister at Georgetown Baptist Church, Texas. Gary Sumrall retires as chaplain after 30 years with the Louisiana Department of Corrections. Eric Zimmer is the interim pastor at South Bossier Baptist Church, Bossier City. Peyton Speers is the new … [Read more...]

One year later, SWLA Baptists battle back

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer LAKE CHARLES, La. (LBM) – Three hurricanes dealt Louisiana a vicious blow in 2020, but despite the destruction and emotional toll the storms left behind, Louisiana Baptists showed their resiliency in fighting back from historic weather events, Carey Baptist Association associational ministry strategist Bruce Baker said. “Churches are committed to their Gospel mission. They want to do Kingdom work. That’s been very, very positive in this whole rebuilding process” Baker told the Baptist Message. “There’s a strong community aspect among the people impacted by the storm,” he continued. “They want to be together. They want to be with one another in what has been a shared hardship. They are there to encourage one another in what has been a difficult time but also a time in which we have come together to move forward and build a better Louisiana.” Laura made landfall Aug. 27 as a Category 4 hurricane (150 mph winds) in Cameron. Then, on Oct. 9, Delta crashed ashore as a Category 2 storm (100 mph winds) in Creole, nearly 13 miles east of Cameron. And on Oct. 28, Zeta made landfall near Cocodrie as a Category 3 hurricane (110 mph winds). Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim … [Read more...]