By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer
ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptist pastors joined other concerned citizens from Central Louisiana, Oct. 2, to pray for students, teachers, families and the community.
Held outside the Rapides Parish School Board offices in Alexandria, the event was marked by special music and prayer led by pastors of various denominations and by small groups who prayed for an area recently impacted by social media shooting threats involving several schools, Sept. 27-29.
Juveniles who published the threats against Alexandria Senior High School, Peabody Magnet High School, Pineville High School and Tioga High School have since been arrested on charges of “terrorizing” and were placed into the Renaissance Home for Youth in Alexandria.
The Peabody Magnet High School principal as well as local officials and law enforcement considered the social media posting against that school to be a credible threat and consequently cancelled the homecoming parade and football game that had been scheduled for Sept. 27.
Brad Webb, pastor with Family of Grace Church, Alexandria, said that the events of the week did not take God by surprise and that God still is on His throne.
“Today, God, we come, and we gather up our biggest concerns and our weariness,” he said. “And we say, God, ‘The burden is more than we can bare. God is greater than we are.’
“God, today we praise, we stand in agreement with pastors across multiple denominations and leaders across many offices and people from the streets and neighborhoods of Central Louisiana,” he said. “We come and we declare, God, that You are enough, God, that You are sum of all equations. And, God, if You are for us, who can be against us.”
Jeremy Shepherd, pastor with Pineville Park Baptist Church, Pineville, prayed that Central Louisiana would develop a passion for Christ and that God would protect students, teachers and others working in the schools.
“We know there is not a self-help book, there is not a speech that can be given, there is nothing we can do to change hearts,” he said. “But Jesus Christ can change hearts. We know that you can take what’s broken, God, and You can make it whole.
“We pray the lies, the idols, the hurt, the deception, the confusion that grips our cultures, that you would begin to dispel that,” he continued. “We pray for boldness for the people that are here, God, that we would share with others that’s found in Jesus Christ because there is not hope found in anyone else.
“We know that people are hurting. We know there are rivalries. There’s jealousy. There’re all kinds of things that take place. But we pray that people would know and understand that satisfaction can only come in Jesus Christ.”
Tim Hisaw, recently retired pastor with Tioga First Baptist Church, prayed God would grant wisdom and protection over legislative leaders, schools, churches and families.
“We pray that we would all each do our part as the body of Christ,” he said. “That we would first of all follow You and that men and women of God, families and churches, would be united around the cross of Christ and that we would lift up the Lord Jesus.”
Kevin Roberts, pastor with Trinity Baptist Church, Pineville, said God hears when the righteous cry out.
“God, we pray that you would rescue Central Louisiana from all of our troubles,” he said. “We thank You that we can cast all our cares on You because You care for us. Thank You, Lord, that You are a refuge and an ever-present help in times of trouble.”
Louisiana House Speaker Pro Tempore Mike Johnson, a member with First Baptist Church, Pineville, was in attendance. He recently announced plans to lead a comprehensive review of the state’s laws addressing threats made against schools and colleges.
After the prayer event, Johnson told the Baptist Message that he hopes the gathering was a step toward more unity.
“These have been difficult days when you put fear in the hearts of parents and teachers,” he said. “This was like a relief valve for some of those feelings of uneasiness. I was uplifted by it, as I think everyone here was. It kind of centers us back.
“I kind of wonder if God gives us issues to recognize who’s in control and to bring us together,” he continued. “And I think this did that. And I hope that it will continue to.”
