By Baptist Message staff
BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Opening the Louisiana Senate with prayer, Kirk Jones, president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention and pastor with Fellowship Church, Prairieville, asked God to give wisdom, strength and safety to these state leaders.
“Father God, we thank you for this day,” he prayed. “I thank you for these who serve the people of Louisiana. Lord God, your Word tells us that if anyone lacks wisdom, that we can ask you for it and you will give it to us graciously. So, Lord, I know that they need wisdom and guidance and insight into the things that they’re deciding. So Lord, I pray that you would provide that for them.
“Give them the strength and stamina to do the job,” Jones continued. “Lord God, I pray that you would watch over them and keep them. I pray that they would be able to hear your voice in the midst of all the things that they’re working on and doing.
“Lord, I know there’s a lot of voices,” he said. “Father, I pray that they would know the voice of the Shepherd, and the voice of a stranger they would not follow. Lord God, I pray that you would keep watch over their families while many of them are away serving here. Lord, we thank you for the sacrifices they make in that. Lord, I just pray that you would watch over them and all the things that they do.
“And Lord I pray that you bless our state, that you would provide all the things that we need,” he continued. “And Lord God, I ask that we would be people who honor you. We ask these things in the precious and powerful name of Jesus. Amen.”
Jones told the Baptist Message “it was an honor” to pray for these Louisiana leaders.
“My heart is appreciative of those who represent us,” he said. “I pray the Lord blesses these men and women with health and wisdom that our state might be healthy and would honor the Lord through the decisions they make.
Jones was introduced by state Sen. Eddie Lambert who represents the 18th State Senate District which includes part of Ascension Parish where Fellowship Church is located.
Lambert lauded Jones and his wife, Wendy, noting they moved to Prairieville to plant the congregation.
“Fellowship has grown from a small Bible study in the Jones home in the fall of 2001 to a church that averages over 1,500 in worship,” he said, adding that more than 1,100 people have professed Christ as Lord and been baptized by the congregation during its 25 years of ministry.
Lambert noted that Fellowship is very active in overseas ministry, citing the congregation’s partnership with Children’s Cup in South Africa (a ministry to feed children), work in Honduras with the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board, and its alliance with Louisiana Reach Haiti. He also recognized Fellowship’s ministry to the local community “through their food pantry, The Fellowship Center, and a food backpack program for over 200 kids in local schools.”
