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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Former Northshore DOM Lonnie Wascom passes away at 72

By Baptist Message staff HAMMOND, La. (LBM) – Lonnie Wascom, director of missions from Northshore Baptist Association from 2011-2018, died Thursday, Sept. 10. He was 72. Born in Baton Rouge, Wascom was baptized at New Bethlehem Baptist Church near Live Oak when he was nine years old. When he turned 15, he began his service in vocational ministry as the assistant music director at Judson Baptist Church in Walker. During the years that followed, Wascom served churches in California and Louisiana, and earned degrees from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, California State University in San Francisco, California, and Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary in Mill Valley, California (now Gateway Seminary in Fremont, California). After 40 years of serving churches, he was called as the director of missions for Chappapeela, LaTangi and St. Tammany Baptist Associations in 2004. Seven years later, the three associations voted to merge. Two months after his Oct. 1, 2018, retirement, Wascom became pastor of Walker Baptist Church. Wascom said in a Sept. 7, 2018, article in the Baptist Message he wanted to finish strong in his faith journey after his retirement. “If God favors me, He’ll let me go out like … [Read more...]

ARCHIVES: Hurricane Laura coverage

Laura's toll includes 140 Louisiana Baptist churches https://baptistmessage.com/lauras-toll-includes-140-louisiana-baptist-churches/ Sign up for 'Churches Helping Churches' https://baptistmessage.com/churches-helping-churches/ Ready or not? Georgia Barnette Offering makes a difference in disaster relief https://baptistmessage.com/ready-or-not-georgia-barnette-offering-makes-a-difference-in-disaster-relief/ Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief hurricane relief needs https://baptistmessage.com/louisiana-baptists-hurricane-relief-needs/ =====     =====     =====     =====     ===== VIDEO: Audis Dawson, pastor, Comrade Baptist Church, Simpson, shares how ‘God loves people through other people’ VIDEO: Jeremy Blocker, pastor, Maplewood First Baptist Church, Sulphur, talks about joyful neighbors helped by LBDR VIDEO: Lonnie Gothrup, pastor, Houston River Baptist Church, Sulphur, calls for more volunteers to help SW Louisiana Disaster Photos Response Photos Drone Footage of Destruction Feeding Line Videos =====     =====     =====     =====     ===== NOBTS avoids major damage from Hurricane Zeta https://baptistmessage.com/nobts-avoids-major-damage-during-hurricane-zeta/ Zeta is third … [Read more...]

Former LC President Robert Lynn passes away

By Baptist Message staff PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – Robert Lynn, president of Louisiana College from 1975 to 1997, died Tuesday, Sept. 8 in Norman, Oklahoma. He was 88. Born Nov. 19, 1931, in Fox, Oklahoma, Lynn was a faithful servant to Baptists and higher education. Prior to his presidency at LC, Lynn served as a chairman of deacons at First Baptist Church in Shawnee, Oklahoma, vice president for administration at Oklahoma Baptist University, and administrative committee member of the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board (now International Mission Board), according to archived Baptist Message articles. Lynn, who was the sixth president in school history, succeeded G. Earl Guinn. According to a June 5, 1997 article in the Baptist Message, Lynn instituted a strategic planning process for which the college engaged in for five-year periods. During his tenure, almost 85 percent of the five-year goals were met. Additionally, he led the college to unprecedented financial growth. While he was president, the school was never in the red operationally. Lynn also established the President’s Club to recognize donors who gave $1,000 or more to the school in a calendar year. In a 20-year span, beginning in 1976, almost 6,000 … [Read more...]

Consider using an evangelist to ‘draw the net’ in your church

By Clark Stewart COVINGTON, La. – I have had the privilege over the past two years to be the pastor advisor for the Louisiana Conference of Southern Baptist Evangelists. It has been a real blessing for me to get to know these men and women personally. Their love for the Lord and their passion for the unsaved has touched my life. I have used many of these quality evangelists in my church and every time, God has tremendously blessed. In May, we had the president of LACOSBE, Brother Gary Bowlin, preach a Harvest Day Sunday for us. With COVID-19 restrictions still being observed, we had a “drive-in” service where people listen on their vehicle radios. Brother Gary preached with passion in an outside service and extended God’s invitation to come to Christ. At 10:30 that morning, he preached inside our auditorium and had five public professions of faith. Evangelists are a God given gift to His churches (Ephesians 4:11). I would encourage every pastor to use these gifted evangelists in their churches. God desires and delights in the lost being saved. Using these evangelists who are gifted in “drawing the net” will help fulfill God’s desire that “none perish but that all come to repentance.” Clark Stewart is pastor of New … [Read more...]