By LCNews PINEVILLE, La. (LCNews) - Louisiana College continues its preparations for Hurricane Laura. Please note the following regarding course instruction and campus operations. • No in-person courses will be held on campus and offices will remain closed from Wednesday, Aug. 26 through Friday, Aug. 28. • All course instruction will continue remotely through Friday. • For residential students, on campus operations including housing and dining services will continue without interruption. LC will follow its Shelter in Place protocols during the course of the storm. The college will continue to monitor Hurricane Laura. Updates will be posted on lacollege.edu and official social media accounts. Information will also be communicated through LC email accounts and the Wildcat Alert system. Wildcat Alerts are sent via email and text message. If you have not signed up to receive emergency alerts, please do so through the MyLC portal. … [Read more...]
H.B. Charles to headline E4 Preaching Conference
By Baptist Message staff PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – H.B. Charles, the first black president of the Southern Baptist Convention Pastors’ Conference, is the keynote speaker for the 2020 E4 Preaching Conference. Charles, who is pastor of Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Fla., will bring messages during three sessions of the annual conference Sept. 8 at First Baptist Church Pineville. In addition to serving as the 2017 SBC Pastors’ Conference president, Charles has been a speaker at several previous LBC Pastors’ Conferences. The conference will feature music by the First Baptist Pineville praise team, and, present breakout sessions on such topics as preaching from John’s Epistles, I Corinthians, and the prophets; planning an effective invitation; spiritual warfare; and more (led by professors from Louisiana College, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and pastors from other states). “We are looking forward to an exciting E4 this year,” First Baptist Pineville Pastor Stewart Holloway told the Baptist Message. “We will follow social distancing protocols in order to provide you with an engaging and safe conference opportunity.” The E4 Conference began in … [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 Jason (wife Lori) McNaughten is the new pastor of Walker Baptist Church, Walker from First Baptist Church, New Roads in Pointe Coupee Parish. Jeff May is the new pastor at Cypress Baptist Church, West Monroe. John (wife Adrianne) McCatherty is the new pastor at Rodessa Baptist Church, Rodessa. Scott Teutsch is the new pastor at Trinity Heights Baptist Church, Shreveport from Plain Dealing Baptist Church, Plain Dealing. Ron Nation resigns as pastor of Unity Baptist Church, Deville to plant NOW Church in Creola. James (wife Toni) Brown is the new pastor at Unity Baptist Church, Deville. Darryl Hoychick retires as pastor at Trinity Baptist Church, Pineville. Kevin (wife Bobbye) Roberts is the new pastor at Trinity Baptist Church, Pineville. Bob Colquette is the new pastor Bethany Baptist … [Read more...]
COVID-19 Pandemic is “The Right Time” to share the Gospel
By John Kyle, Louisiana Baptists communication director ALEXANDRIA, La. – Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, Louisiana Baptists are convinced this is “The Right Time” to reach the state. “When the Lord led us to the theme ‘The Right Time’ for our 2020 Georgia Barnette State Missions Offering emphasis, little did we know what 2020 would bring,” said John Kyle, director of communications for Louisiana Baptists. “Obviously, God knew the fear and uncertainty that would accompany COVID-19 thus making this ‘The Right Time’ to share the assurance and hope found in a relationship with Christ.” Kyle noted the theme for this year’s state missions offering was taken from Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth in which he challenged the early believers to realize “Indeed, the ‘right time’ is now. Today is the day of salvation” (2 Cor.6:2, NLT). “These words speak to the current condition of our culture,” said Louisiana Baptists Executive Director Steve Horn. “We’ve been reminded how quickly things can change. How quickly our health can turn. How quickly our finances can evaporate. People are looking for what Jesus has to offer and Louisiana Baptists have the opportunity to share His promise of peace and provision to the … [Read more...]
Sunday drive changes spiritual destination for Kenner man
By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer KENNER, La. (LBM) - A leisurely drive around Kenner on a Sunday morning in June turned out to be more than a joy ride for Jaicoven Johnson and his family. That fateful road trip took them past the campus of the Family Church where they saw members gathered outside in fellowship before entering the worship center. Intrigued by the love and joy on display, they began attending services, and on Aug. 16 church members gathered around him to celebrate his walk of faith from confession through baptism. “Something on that day in June told us to check out Family Church,” Johnson told the Baptist Message. “I felt an instant connection that only grew stronger. Instead of waiting, I wanted to get baptized the day I accepted Christ. It’s been everything I could have asked for, and more.” MERGER TO BAPTISM Johnson‘s baptism was the fi rst for Family Church, a congregation that was formed in March from a merger between Restoration Church in Metairie and Crossroads Church in Kenner. Crossroads Church had seen a decline in membership from 183 in 2012 to 20 in 2019, according to the Annual Church Profile. Meanwhile, Restoration Church had been meeting on the campus of their parent … [Read more...]
LBC webinars to offer encouragement for pastors, wives
By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Pastors and their wives who may have experienced additional stress brought on by the novel coronavirus pandemic will have the chance to receive much needed encouragement during two webinars Sept. 17. First proposed by Louisiana Baptist Convention President David Cranford, the “Encourage” webinars are scheduled to include New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary President Jamie Dew, comedian Dennis Swanberg, the Bayou Church Founding Pastor Mike Walker and NOBTS Associate Professor of Counseling Craig Garrett. A webinar for ministers is scheduled for 3:30-4:30 pm and for wives from 7-8 p.m. The first 200 ministers and first 250 ministers’ wives who register for the webinars will receive a special gift. Ministers participating in the 3:30 webinar will also receive a gift courtesy of the Caskey Foundation at NOBTS. “These have been the most difficult days in my almost 30 years of ministry,” Cranford told the Baptist Message. “I know that other ministers feel the same way. I simply want ministers and their families to know that they are not alone and that there is help and encouragement available to them from the Lord as well as their fellow … [Read more...]
Children’s Home youngsters’ birthday gifts lift spirit of nursing home resident
By Baptist Message staff MONROE, La. (LBM) – Oleta Gibson, a 104-year-old resident of the Avalon Place Nursing Home in Monroe, received a surprise visit in early April from some Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home youngsters who delivered special birthday gifts. The children surprised Gibson with homemade pictures and a rendition of the classic song “Happy Birthday” from outside her window. “We try to teach these kids from an early age we need to serve as Jesus did and look for ways to encourage others,” Lisa Vaughn, who serves as a cottage parent with her husband, Larry, told the Baptist Message. “It was such a blessing to see them on board with this from the time we told them about this idea.” A few weeks after the novel coronavirus pandemic shut out visitors to nursing home facilities in the state, Vaughn learned that Gibson’s family would not be able to come to Avalon Place for the birthday celebration. Th e children quickly volunteered to color the pictures that subsequently brought smiles to Gibson on her special day. “Larry and Lisa Vaughn do a great job serving as cottage parents,” shared Marc Eichelberger, vice president of development and public relations for the Children’s Home. “We are grateful for them taking … [Read more...]
Aguillard loses appeal in LC lawsuit
By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor NEW ORLEANS (LBM) -- The Associated Press has reported that Joe Aguillard, a former Louisiana College president, has lost his appeal in a federal lawsuit against the school. The case was heard Aug. 19 by a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals who were unanimous in their opinion: James Graves (Barak Obama appointee), Carolyn King (Jimmy Carter), and Andrew Oldham (Donald Trump). “After he was fi red by Louisiana College, Joe Aguillard sent misconduct allegations to the college’s accrediting body,” they wrote. “Those accusations prompted Louisiana College to sue Aguillard in state court for defamation. Aguillard countered by suing the college in federal court, alleging-among other things-- that the defamation suit violated anti-retaliation provisions found in the Americans With Disabilities Act and in Title VII.” “The district court granted Louisiana College summary judgment regarding Aguillard’s claims,” the opinion noted, “and we affirm.” Aguillard was president of Louisiana College for nine years before he was removed in April 2014 under an agreement with the Board of Trustees that named him president emeritus, according to a May 2019 report by … [Read more...]
‘Pledge of Allegiance’ changed at DNC
By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor MILWAUKEE (LBM) -- At least three leaders of groups represented on the digital broadcast of the Democratic National Convention proceedings either deleted or added phrases to substantially alter the Pledge of Allegiance. The DNC Caucus and Council Meeting: Muslim Delegates and Allies Assembly as well as the DNC LGBTQ Caucus Meeting were started by reciting the pledge, but “under God” was deleted both times. Meanwhile, the DNC Environment and Climate Crisis Council began its meeting with the pledge, with an addition, “with liberty and justice for all … some day.” Although available online, none of these controversial segments have been broadcast on network or cable stations except Fox News. Meanwhile, the DNC platform committee passed a resolution ahead of the virtual meeting of Democrats that applauds the religiously unaffiliated while at the same time condemns people of faith who do not support a liberal political agenda. The “Resolution Regarding Religiously Unaffiliated Demographic” cites the growth of the number of religiously unaffiliated among Democrats, calling the demographic “the largest religious group within the Democratic Party,” and praises the fact that … [Read more...]
Louisiana job losses due to COVID-19 double those lost after Katrina
By Will Hall, Baptist Message staff writer LAFAYETTE, LA. (LBM) -- The Acadiana Advocate has published information from a report compiled by Gary Wagner, an economist with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, showing sharp job losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In his report, Wager stated, “Louisiana lost more than 218,000 payroll jobs between the first and second quarters of 2020. This represents an 11% reduction and is the largest quarterly loss in jobs for periods in which we have economic data. To put this figure into perspective, the state lost just over 6% of its jobs in 2005 because of Hurricane Katrina.” Wagner further noted that “More than 800,000 individuals have applied for initial unemployment claims since March 14, 2020 in excess of the state’s historical average.” For context, he shared that for the last 34 years, “the state averages around 3400 new unemployment claims per week in August.” But, even with the dire news regarding lost jobs and surging jobless claims, Wagner is optimistic about the economy in the near term, according to the Advocate. The state economy will pick up, although Wagner predicts it will be 7 percent smaller than in 2019, the Advocate reported, noting that increased … [Read more...]
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