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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

CENLA Pregnancy Center banquet celebrates life

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Former “America’s Next Top Model” contestant Leah Darrow encouraged more than 900 guests gathered at the CENLA Pregnancy Center’s Gift of Life banquet to be the ones who answer the call to help provide hope for women with unplanned pregnancies. The fifth annual event, Sept. 12, was held at the Randolph Riverfront Center. “You are the other person on that end of the call for people in their hardest moments,” she said. “These young ladies who are calling these pregnancy centers are sometimes out there and they don’t know where to go and they don’t have anyone else to call but you. And CENLA Pregnancy Center picks up and answers those calls and they help redirect these women and show a place of redemption.” Darrow was the keynote speaker for the single largest fundraiser for the pregnancy center. The event also featured remarks by other pro-life advocates, an update on the impact of the center, music and food. CHANGED LIFE In her message, Darrow shared she was caught up in a lifestyle of worldly success that led to suicidal thoughts, depression and low self-confidence. But soon after appearing on “America’s Next Top Model” in 2004, she found … [Read more...]

Rolling out the welcome mat to new Louisiana Baptist pastors, wives

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptist state missions and ministry directors and entity heads rolled out the welcome mat for more than 15 new pastors and seven spouses, Sept. 11. Held at the Baptist Building in Alexandria, the event featured remarks by Louisiana Baptist Executive Director Steve Horn, introductions by state ministries and entities, a tour of the building and lunch for those in attendance. The event was open to any pastor or staff member who had transitioned to the role of pastor since October 2022. “The strength of our cooperation is built on the strength of our relationships,” Horn told the Baptist Message. “This event has quickly become a favorite of ours as we seek to establish personal relationships with new pastors in our state.” Louisiana Baptist Pastoral Ministry Team Director Ray Swift said the event reflected God’s grace and the unified work of Louisiana Baptists maximizing the Gospel’s impact across the state. “This provides a way to say to every new pastor ‘we love you and we are here for you,’” Swift said. “It makes a way to see, hear and receive information and resources every Louisiana Baptist pastor needs for their personal lives … [Read more...]

LCU C3 speaker: fight for religious freedom

By LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) - Brittany Jones offered a crash course on the need to exercise religious freedoms in an increasingly secular culture to the attendees at the first Christ-Church-Culture event of the fall semester at Louisiana Christian University, Sept. 11. “Religious freedom and the freedom of conscience are foundational to protecting all other freedoms in our country,” Jones said. “As our country changes, it is important that Americans today understand how these freedoms were developed and how they impact them.” Jones, a graduate of Louisiana Christian University and Regent University School of Law, serves as the director of Policy and Engagement for Kansas Family Voice. Her focus at the organization is on religious freedom, life, education choice and combatting pornography. Religious freedom was extremely important to the founders of this country, she said. “They were concerned because they’d been persecuted and seen people literally killed for not agreeing with the monarch,” Jones said. In America, religious freedom is for everyone, and the law is mainly meant to protect minority belief systems. While many of the most recent decisions have dealt with Christianity, historically that has … [Read more...]

TLC opens 23-24 season with ‘The Mousetrap’ by Agatha Christie

By Victoria R. Watson, Wildcats Media PINEVILLE, La. (Wildcats Media) – Theatre Louisiana Christian opened its first show of the 2023-24 season, “The Mousetrap,” on Sept. 7. “’The Mousetrap’ is an exciting whodunit dramatic mystery filled with comedic twists and turns that will keep everyone on the edge of their seat,” said LCU senior theatre major Colleen Andrews, also stage manager for the show. Written by Agatha Christie, The Mousetrap is the longest continuously running murder mystery play in American history, debuting on Oct. 6, 1952. “With such a diverse mix of majors from across the campus, it’s even more impressive how the students have been handling this material,” said Enrico Cannella, assistant professor of music and director of the play. “It’s been such a joy to work with such a creative group at LCU. This family-friendly mystery captures the ‘Murder She Wrote’ charm, and if you care to come a second time, it may be nice to find the hidden clues.” The play opens with Mollie and Giles Ralston, played by freshman Olivia Huffman and sophomore Cayden Walls, preparing their guest home in the London country for their expected guests. However, news spreads of a murder as a blizzard breaks out and floods the … [Read more...]

LCU welcomes new K9 officer to campus

By Elizabeth Clarke, LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) – Louisiana Christian University has welcomed to its security force a Belgian Malinois dog. K9 Officer Willy joined the staff in May, allowing the dog to get accustomed to campus before students arrived for the fall semester. “Students—as well as faculty and staff—love Willy,” said LCU Chief of Safety and Security John Dauzat. “He can be very loveable, but he also has an important job to do.” Willy was born in December 2021 and trained by Gulf Coast K9 in the detection of narcotics. “Willy is a force multiplier to help minimize the outside influence of illegal narcotics on our campus,” Dauzat said. “We’ve never had a considerable problem, but the presence of our K9 ensures that we deter any use on campus.” Willy is the only K9 officer on a college campus in central Louisiana, according to LCU. While still relatively uncommon, K9 officers are becoming part of the security forces at more colleges and universities across the country not only for narcotics but also for the detection of explosives. They may also be trained and used to locate missing persons. LCU first introduced a K-9 to campus in December 2021. Unfortunately, Rex died in December 2022 … [Read more...]