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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

More than 1,300 spiritual decisions made in Denham Springs

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer DENHAM SPRINGS, La. (LBM) – The Den­ham Springs High School football stadium became a house of God during the Livingston Parish GO TELL AMERICA Crusade, March 16-19. By the end of the four-day spiritual encounter, including all related out­side events, 1,316 persons had made decisions for Christ, with 602 individ­uals stepping forward to accept Christ, according to Chris Palmer, GO TELL director of ministry out­reach. Evangelist Rick Gage, founder of GO TELL Min­istries in Duluth, Georgia, shared that more than a year ago his team met with pastors and other lead­ers to plan a crusade that would help reach a parish that Eastern Louisiana Baptist Association leaders believe is 80-90 percent unchurched. Over the next year, this group prayed and prepared with anticipation of a mighty harvest. “It’s just been a great move of God, and it’s an area that was ripe for a harvest,” Gage told the Baptist Message. “We’re seeing pockets of revival across the nation and a great move of God among the younger generation. “And as you study the moves of God and the revivals of the past, you learn that many of those great moves of God started with young people. Wasn’t it two and a half … [Read more...]

EVANGELISM 101 (Part 3): The Gospel conversation

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Regardless of the soul-winning ap­proach used to spiritually engage someone (Con­frontational, Conversa­tional, Lifestyle, or Rela­tional), each evangelistic effort must eventually narrow down to an in­tentional decision-mak­ing moment. The conversation may begin in several ways depending on whether the opportunity follows a Sunday sermon, an area-wide evangelistic event, a conversation with a family member or a knock-on-the-door initiative. Somone might prefer the Evangelism Explo­sion method of asking, “If you were to die today and stand before God, and He was to ask you, ‘Why should I let you into My Heaven?’, what would you say?” Others might lean toward the F.A.I.T.H. Gospel conversation starter, “In your person­al opinion, what does it take for someone to go to Heaven?” But in the end, the culmination of the sowing and watering, whether brief or over an extended time, must con­clude with reaping – and that involves a discussion about sin and debt, as well as forgiveness and the means to obtain it. Again, there are mul­tiple models to struc­ture this conversation: Continuing Witness Training, Evangelism Explosion, Four Spiritual Laws, … [Read more...]

Louisiana Baptists share John 3:16 on 3/16

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Churches around the state heeded a chal­lenge to share John 3:16 on March 16 and saw the Holy Spirit move through mes­sages, mission activities and crusades. Designated as a day for all Louisiana Baptist pastors to preach John 3:16, the initiative aimed to catalyze soul winning across the state. Leading up to March 16, congre­gations were encouraged to follow a special 16-day prayer guide, beginning on March 1, and included a Bible verse to reflect on for each of three recommend­ed times to pray (morning, noon and evening). Lou­isiana joined other state Baptist conventions for the effort, which were coordi­nated through the North American Mission Board. Beauregard, Big Creek, Eastern Louisiana and Ouachita Baptist Associ­ations were among those groups who scheduled evangelistic outreaches throughout the month to coincide with the special day. “I am thankful for every pastor and church par­ticipating in John 3:16 day,” Louisiana Baptist Executive Director Steve Horn told the Baptist Message. “The innova­tive and specific ways that individual churches decided to promote the day was inspiring to see. “A few things that I genuinely believe were … [Read more...]

Louisiana Notables

EDITOR’S NOTE: The Baptist Message provides churches an opportunity to share with other Louisiana Baptists an upcoming revival, homecoming, new pastor, new staff member, a community outreach, or a concert in Louisiana Notables. To place your event in the paper, send your information (who, what, where, when, time) to philip@baptistmessage.com or call 318.449.4345. Please submit your information four weeks prior to the event to insure placement in the Message. ON THE MOVE Heath and Jenny Peloquin has been called to pastor Rock Hill Baptist in Brownsboro, Texas and is leaving Summer Grove Baptist Church, Shreveport. His last day at Summer Grove is March 30. Andrew, wife Lydia, Ardoin, is the new pastor at First Baptist Church, White Castle Ardoin is the new pastor at White Castle after spending 15 years in theforeign mission field. HOMECOMING New Hope Baptist Church, DeQuincy: Homecoming Celebration, April 6 - Coffee Fellowship at 8 a.m. and Worship at 10 a.m. lunch will follow the worship services. Guest Speaker: Charles Gibbs (former pastor). Worship Leader: Broken Vessels. Pastor: Roland Hebert. CRUSADES West Ouachita Crusade, March 30-April 2, 2025, 6 p.m. nightly. The Crusade led by Evangelist: Bill Britt and … [Read more...]

LCU’s new president excited to foster LCU ‘community’

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer PINEVILLE, La. — Newly-elected Louisiana Christian University Presi­dent Mark Louis Johnson, Sr. has a bold vision to grow the school through fostering community for the Kingdom. “It’s not about me, it’s about us, all of us who make up the LCU com­munity,” Johnson told the Baptist Message. “We’re all doing this together, be­cause that’s the only way Louisiana Christian Uni­versity will grow. “It is a presidency, not a president,” he said. “I’m wanting to bring people to­gether to lead this institu­tion together. One person goes fast, but a community goes far.” Trustees of LCU elect­ed Johnson as the school’s 10th president during a meeting, Feb. 25. Johnson is a native of Anderson, Indiana, and has served as pastor of several churches, including Edgewater Baptist Church, New Orleans (2019-2021); chaplain for the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians), New Orleans Baby Cakes minor league baseball team and Tulane University men’s basketball team; and missionary. He also is the author of multiple books, a former professional bas­ketball player in Europe and South America and a podcaster. He currently is an assistant professor of evangelism and pastoral ministry and the … [Read more...]

TLC and LCU music department present Little Women: the Broadway Musical

By Cayden Walls, LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) - Theatre Louisiana Christian and the Louisiana Christian University music department open the third and final show of the 2024-2025 season March 20 with “Little Women: the Broadway Musical.” “This show is unique because it provides perspective from people from all walks of life,” said senior vocal performance major and theatre minor Cheyenne Carbaugh, who plays the role of Jo March. “ This show so beautifully portrays what it means to be a sister, what it means to be a mother, what it means to mourn, and just what it means to live. I feel like this show can touch almost anyone in any season and almost anyone can find bits of themselves in the four March sisters.” Based on Louisa May Alcott's life and novel Little Women, the show follows the adventures of sisters Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy March. Jo is trying to sell her stories for publication, but the publishers are not interested. Her friend Professor Bhaer tells her that she has to do better and write more about her own life. Begrudgingly taking this advice, Jo weaves the story of herself and her sisters and their experiences. “I am excited for audiences to come see this production,” said junior theatre, media and … [Read more...]

LBDR teams respond to killer tornado outbreak

By Baptist Message staff KENTWOOD, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief teams have been deployed in response to a tornado that impacted Kentwood on March 15. According to LBDR Strategist Stan Statham, chainsaw teams, chaplains and assessors from Franklinton, First Baptist Church, Covington, and First Baptist Church, Kentwood began their response on March 16. The tornado that touched down in the Kentwood area damaged 30 homes and downed power lines and dozens of trees, the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office reported. At least 40 people died in seven states after severe storms made their way throughout the South and Midwest, March 14- 15. AccuWeather reported that 52 tornadoes were reported, though not all storm surveys have not been completed. Additionally, wildfires in Oklahoma were responsible for four deaths. In Arkansas, an EF4 tornado (166-200 mph peak winds) was reported by the National Weather Service in Diaz (190 mph winds) and Larkin (170 mph winds). It is the first EF4 tornado recorded in Arkansas since 2021. A tornado that touched down in Troy ripped off part of a roof to the city’s recreation center gymnasium and caused severe damage to baseball fields at its sportsplex. It also caused heavy … [Read more...]

FIRST PERSON: No, Amendment 2 does not place taxes on churches

By Julie Emerson, Louisiana State Representative, District 39 (Lafayette Parish) and member of FBC Lafayette BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) -- Politics is an increasingly wild and quite unpredictable sport. By now, you’ve likely seen claims that Amendment 2 (on your March 29 ballot) will somehow place property taxes on our churches. This just could not be further from the truth. Amendment 2 does not place any taxes on properties that are currently enjoying exemptions…and certainly not churches. As a third term State Representative and current chairman of the House Committee on Ways & Means (that governs the state’s tax code), I authored four bills in the 2024 tax session—two to make our corporate tax structure more competitive, one that gave us the largest personal income tax reduction Louisiana has seen, and the final to rewrite Article VII of the Constitution, which is Amendment 2 on your March 29 ballot. In drafting House Bill 7 (Amendment 2), the aim was to declutter and strengthen the Louisiana Constitution. The U.S. Constitution is short, concise, to the point. It serves as a framework and a guiding document that has made our country great for almost 250 years. There are no tax exemption protections for churches or … [Read more...]