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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Louisiana Athletic Club celebrates its 20th anniversary April 20

PINEVILLE, La. – The Louisiana Athletic Club has a series of special events planned this month to coincide with its 20th anniversary. The venue, which was established in 2001 and was jointly owned by CHRISTUS and LC for 19 years, is now solely owned by Louisiana College following the transfer of ownership last year. LAC will celebrate its anniversary on April 20 at 3 p.m. with refreshments, treats and door prizes along with performances by the Louisiana College band and LAC tap ladies. School President Rick Brewer, club manager Ronnie Schwartz and a representative from CHRISTUS St. Frances Cabrini Hospital in Alexandria will deliver remarks and the public is encouraged to attend. “LC continues the outstanding tradition that LAC had with Cabrini for many years,” Brewer said. “And we will continue to work to improve upon the outstanding service that people have grown accustomed to receiving over the last two decades.” Louisiana Athletic Club also will reveal new logos to coincide with the anniversary celebration, which will more clearly identify its affiliation with the college. The club will be re-launching its pro shop with new apparel featuring the rebranded logos. Leading up to the celebration, LAC will host a … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptist DR teams respond following weekend storms

By Baptist Message staff Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief crews spent the weekend assessing damage and clearing debris from properties that were impacted by a strong line of storms that came through the state. Gibbie McMillan, Louisiana Baptists state disaster relief coordinator, told the Baptist Message that crews from Wilda Baptist Church, Boyce, and Big Cane Baptist Church, Morrow, removed a tree that fell on a home in Bayou Jack. DR members Reggie Saxton and Tom Rabalais also assessed homes in Palmetto, which was heavily damaged by an EF-3 tornado packing 140 mph winds. The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado touched down on Bolden Road in St. Landry Parish at 2:06 am Saturday. The tornado destroyed several homes, including a single wide mobile home that rolled for more than 320 yards and caused the death of a man inside the residence. St. Landry Parish Police Jury President Jessie Bellard confirmed the fatality as Jose Antonio Higareda, 27. The National Weather Service also reported that seven other people in the area were injured, 15 homes were damaged, numerous trees and power lines were snapped and some barns and outbuildings were destroyed. Further north, Jerry Smith, 48, died after a tree … [Read more...]

How many churches will it take to ‘church’ America?

By Don F. Mabry ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM)-- The number of churches in our country constantly is changing and it is very difficult to acquire information from the various denominations, but estimates indicate that there are 330,000 Christian churches and congregations in the United States today. But the question that arises about that number is how many more churches are needed to “church” our country? One of the most interesting facts about the number of U.S. churches is that it has not changed much in the past 20 years or so because the number of new churches being planted and the number of established churches that are closing are nearly the same. Likewise, the number of denominations is constantly changing as new denominations come into existence. Plus, in recent years, one of the most prolific denominational changes has been the growth in non-denominational churches. Many of these fellowship and exchange information with other non-denominational congregations but their relationship with each other is informal. Regardless, with the estimated U.S. population of 328 million people, we can calculate that there is a congregation for nearly every 994 or so people in our country. But this average is misleading because … [Read more...]

Calling and career focus of LC C3 event April 13

By Staff, Baptist Message PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – Dry Creek native and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Professor R. Keith Loftin will headline Louisiana College’s second “Christ Church Culture” lecture of the year on April 13. Loftin, the author of several books including “Stand Firm: Apologetics and the Brilliance of the Gospel,” will share with students, faculty and members of the community a presentation on “calling and career.” "As human beings, we are created in God's image,” Loftin said. “We are created with purpose. We are created to work. Indeed, we are created to flourish. These truths harmonize in the Christian notion of vocation, and that notion can revolutionize how we think about education." The event comes months before LC launches its new Quality Enhancement Plan, which will focus on service-learning. Brewer said he wants to make sure students understand the importance of their academic education is preparation for real-world service. “No matter what call God has placed on your life, our role is to serve others and represent His kingdom,” Brewer said. “Our QEP, which launches in the fall, is LC Serves. Live Connected. This seminar will focus on better understanding on how college education … [Read more...]

LC to recognize Dean’s List, Honors students April 15

By Staff, LCNews PINEVILLE, La. (LCNews) – Louisiana College will recognize academically outstanding students April 15. Students will be recognized at an honors convocation at 11 a.m. and at a pair of dean’s list ceremonies at 5:30 and 7 p.m. All three in-person award ceremonies will take place at Guinn Auditorium. Social distancing will be practiced and attendees should wear masks. The honors convocation will recognize students for their outstanding academic efforts and will include scholarship awards. The Dean’s List ceremony includes students who have earned all A’s and B’s in their courses in the fall semester. Freshmen and sophomores will be recognized at 5:30 p.m. while juniors and seniors will be honored at 7 p.m. Students from the fall semester will also be recognized during this time. … [Read more...]

Church attendance rises for resurrection celebrations

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS, La. (LBM) – Easter Sunday felt like a long-awaited family reunion, Pastor Fred Luter told the Baptist Message. In 2020, Luter preached to an online only crowd from inside a nearly vacant worship center on Easter. But for Resurrection Day 2021 Luter shared his Easter message to 800 people (limited by New Orleans’ social distancing restrictions), the most since COVID-19 attendance restrictions shut down in-person services in late March 2020. Luter’s son, Chip, who recently became associate pastor, preached at the second service to another crowd of 800. “It was like opening presents on Christmas morning,” the senior Luter said. “I looked at the people in the room and told them it was good to see them, especially those who had not been here in more than a year. While we have learned this past year that you can never count on tomorrow, I am anticipating and praying that we will continue moving forward closer to what we knew was normal. We are trusting God to see us through this.” Fortunately, churches outside New Orleans did not face capacity restrictions, and across the state there were reports of similar boosts in attendance on Easter Sunday. Louisiana … [Read more...]

What’s so great about the Great Commission?

By Lane Corley ALEXANDRIA, La. - Hudson Taylor, missionary to China in the 1800’s, may have been the one to popularize the term Great Commission for Jesus’ last command to his followers on earth. Matthew 28:18-20 CSB – “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” What’s so great about the Great Commission? For starters: Jesus said it. This is a directive straight from the Master himself. And it’s the last words he left with his followers. This statement makes it clear what Jesus wanted and expected the cause of our lives to be as his people until his return. It’s repeated in all four gospels. The four Gospels vary on some details about the life of Jesus. Some version of this Great Commission is repeated in all of them, as well as in the beginning of Acts. This tells us that this statement left an indelible mark on his followers and served as a highlight of Jesus’ teaching in their hearts and minds. If we obey it, people are changed for eternity. … [Read more...]

Edwards eases more restrictions, mask mandate remains in place

By Baptist Message staff BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards announced Tuesday, March 30, the easing of additional restrictions as the state continues moving forward in reopening the economy. Citing continued positive trends in low COVID-19 cases counts and hospitalizations, Edwards said during a news conference that while the mask mandate will remain in place and social distancing will be required, restaurants, bars, gyms, salons and beauty shops, malls and retail establishments no longer will have occupancy limits once the current proclamation expires on Wednesday, March 31. Edwards added that capacity for event centers and reception halls will remain at 50 percent, with a maximum size of 500 people. Attendance at sporting events will still be capped at 50 percent. Also, churches will be allowed to continue to operate at full capacity. The new proclamation Edwards will sign on Wednesday will remain in effect through April 28. “Today marks a big step forward,” Edwards said. “But we all are going to have a role today and do have a role to play in making sure that cases don’t spike again.” The LDH reported 499 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the statewide total to 444,414, and an … [Read more...]

Hurricane ravaged SWLA on the road to recovery

By Norm Miller, Baptist Message special assignments reporter LAKE CHARLES, La. (LBM)--Two hurricanes, each as devastating as Katrina, were more than a one-two punch to Calcasieu Parish, according to Carey Association Director of Missions Bruce Baker. Recovery from the cataclysmic storms may take as many as eight years, and FEMA research estimates the overall cost of the damages at $40 million in the area, Baker said. There are 100,000 homes and 85 percent of them have roof damage; eight percent of the structures are uninsured. “Homes in our area are still badly damaged, but we are beginning to claw out from under it all,” Baker said. “Disaster Relief teams and others who came to help us – they were spectacular. They are the heroes,” he said. “We are grateful for the hard work they gave us. It was a gospel effort. It was a kingdom effort.” Local government and community leaders know who the yellow shirts are, Baker added. “We have a fabulous reputation for service and caring. When the mayor needs disaster recovery help, he calls me.” Baker recalled that Jesus tells us to love our neighbors. “A great way to love them is to show up with a chainsaw crew and a skid steer.” FROM RELIEF TO RECOVERY Houston … [Read more...]