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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

FRC’s Perkins says prayers answered as imprisoned pastor finally released

By Message Staff Christian leaders celebrated the release of Andrew Brunson, an American pastor who returned to the U.S. Oct. 13 after being held captive in Turkey for the past two years. Brunson, who had pastored a church in Turkey, was imprisoned in October 2016 and transferred to house arrest in July as he awaited a hearing. Domestic and international pressure mounted on Turkish officials as the Christian community claimed Brunson was wrongly imprisoned. A court in Turkey had charged him with espionage and undermining constitutional order of the state before finding him guilty of “terror.” Brunson was released for time served Oct. 12 and hours later boarded a plane for the US. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, a former interim pastor of Greenwell Springs Baptist Church near Baton Rouge, a Louisiana representative and a member of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, was one of the key figures in securing Brunson’s release. “The prayers of thousands were answered today when Pastor Brunson was released by the Turkish government and told he could go home to the United States,” Perkins said in a Family Research Council’s news release. “Those prayers combined with the unwavering … [Read more...]

Missouri army base sees 3,300 soldiers accept Christ

By Will Hall, Message Editor PULASKI, COUNTY, Mo. (LBM) – The Pathway, the multi-media news service of the Missouri Baptist Convention, is reporting a spiritual movement among the soldiers stationed at Fort Leonard Wood. Since March of this year, about 3,300, and counting, soldiers and trainees have professed faith in Christ, according to Southern Baptist Chaplain (Cpt.) Jose Rondon. Fort Leonard Wood is home to about 6,000 permanently stationed active duty personnel and about 12,000 trainees at any one time. Rondon, originally from Venezuela where an International Mission Board missionary shared the Gospel with him, said the “key” to so many people coming to Christ could be summed up in one word, “INTENTIONAL.” Baptist Press, the national news service of the SBC reported Rondon as defining “intentional” as being “faithful to Christ and obedient to His Great Commission.” “We will not succeed in making disciples until the lost make the first step to follow Christ as their Savior,” Rondon said. Citing Colossians 4:2-4, Rondon offered that he believes “our nation, our churches and our military are on the verge of seeing God like we have never seen Him before. All glory to Christ alone!” U.N.: Excessive … [Read more...]