DOM Lines

Counselors Corner
Mary Langford, Counselor
I have just learned that March 8 is International Womens Day. I am praying and thinking about two special women with whom the Lord has graced my life. Jody Towerys memorial service is being held today in San Angelo, Texas. We were friends, co-workers and neighbors in Hong Kong. She came with her husband Britt from Taiwan where they had worked for several years planting churches in that island country. They had adopted two daughters, one Chinese and one Hispanic. Their ages matched exactly those of our two older boys. Jody and I talked, shopped and prayed together. We held joint birthday parties for the children, took them to the beach, arranged joint tennis lessons. We celebrated many holiday meals together. Jody and I co-led a home Bible study for women from several different countries. We traveled to China together with our husbands. Later, she and Britt would return to work in support of the churches in China. Jody was quiet, unassuming, steadfast and faithful. She was a great friend and example to me. I am also praying for an Australian friend named Mary Grigg whose body is failing, but whose spirit is strong. Mary came to Hong Kong with her husband Lindsay who had been sent to set up a chest surgery unit in the government hospital. We met them when they joined our church and soon became fast friends. Mary was creative and practical. The queen of recycling before it had a name, she haunted the thrift shops to find garments she could take apart and make into something useful. She held sewing classes as a draw to attract women to my Bible study. We had such a good time prowling the street markets and sharing Sunday lunches with our families. We missed them mightily when they were transferred to Uganda. Mary quickly found a mission there in selling sewing machines and teaching village women to make items they could sell to support their families. Forced to flee the terror of Idi Amin, they went home to Australia where Mary soon set up a cottage industry employing Vietnamese women to make OMalley Bears, which sold by the thousands. The matriarch of her church in Canberra, Mary is sought after by younger members for her godly advice. I am praying Gods mercy for her as she approaches His eternal home. As I mourn the passing of these two wonderful friends, I also give thanks for all we shared and all they taught me. Only the Lord Himself knows how many lives were touched and changed as Jody Towery and Mary Grigg allowed Him to use them in Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, South Texas, Africa and Australia.

Bert Langley, Director of Missions

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of Gods mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to Godthis is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what Gods will ishis good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:1-2; NIV). The words in Romans 12:1-2, offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to Godthis is your spiritual act of worship (NIV) are familiar words to most Christians. The Message paraphrases the above section from the Greek this way: Take your everyday, ordinary lifeyour sleeping, eating, going-towork, and walking-around lifeand place it before God as an offering. In both versions the Bible calls upon children of God to separate from the world and be committed to the LORD JESUS in such a way that their action could only be compared to a Sacrifice. The Jews in Rome knew exactly what Paul was referring to total surrender with one major difference. This was not a one-time, blemish free, dead sacrifice the Christian was to offer but rather a living sacrifice every day. Our bodies, this earthly home, were to become light and salt in a dark and decaying world. The world should be able to see something different in us Jesus! As our world moves farther and farther away from God, the more you and I are going to feel like strangers in this world. If we are doing what the Bible commands us to do, it should not alarm us that we feel more like visitors than residents. We should feel something like ducks out of water. The sad fact is that many of the crimes, corruption, and breakdowns in society are as prevalent in the church as the world. By our willingness to be a living sacrifice before God we will experience the renewed mind and be able to test and know what Gods will is for our lives. Finding Gods will for our lives is too often like playing hide and seek instead of Divine Revelation. God is far more interested in revealing HIS will to us than we are in finding it. God give us a heavenly mind! To know Gods will and do it is our greatest joy and reward in this world. Now heres the good part: Youre never too old to find HIS will for your life and start following it. Be a living sacrifice today and discover HIS wonderful plan for your life today.

Through our Duson Community Hub we are privileged to serve 40 families as the local Second Harvest food bank distribution location. This has given us the opportunity to not only feed them physically, but to begin to feed them spiritually through the distribution of Bibles, demonstrations of love and offerings of prayer. Our entire church is involved with this ministry from ordering and picking up the food from the warehouse, packing food bags, and then carrying the bags to their vehicles during our monthly food distribution. The Homeless Packet Ministry is part of Outreach at Duson Baptist Church. Based on Matthew 25:37-40, this is one way God has provided for us to feed His sheep. We fill insulated vinyl cooler bags with a New Testament, non-perishable food and water, personal supplies, and a list of local resources for homeless folks. When we realize that Jesus was actually homeless from the time He began His ministry (Matthew 8:20), its easy to see His face in our brothers and sisters beside the road. Through this outreach we seek to share Gods Word, love and bounty with them. Wild Spirit Ministries is an outreach to young men ages 11-17, in our community, teaching them to become young God-centered men. Wild Spirit teaches these young men to hunt and fish, but also builds relationships as each boy is paired with a mentor, giving them accountability and spiritual guidance. Our mission is to teach them Gods Word, so that they will be equipped to handle real life situations while being involved in sportsmanship with godly men. We meet once a month for a community outreach supper and the Wild Spirit boys help prepare the game theyve harvested and serve the food to guests, while getting an opportunity to share and reflect on their times together. We have seen unexpected and very real changes in the lives of these boys, such as attitudes, manners, school grades and much more, merely just by sharing Gods love.

3 - Gary Ruffin, FBC Lafayette 5 - Bert Langley, DOM 9 - Anne-Kathryn (Mrs. Shawn) Johnston, Northside 10 - David Denton, Highland, New Iberia - Jonathan Moore, Immanuel, Morgan City - Noble Mosby, FBC Lafayette 14 - John Frank Reeve, FBC Lafayette 16 - Roland Fontenot, Retired 18 - Red Thornton, Retired 20 - Bobby Hodnett, Little Pass, Charenton - Lydia (Mrs. Andy) Manning, Church Acadiana 22 - Shonda (Mrs. Robert) Burdeaux, Parks 23 - Rebecca (Mrs. Dan) Brown, Calvary, Morgan City 24 - Youn Shim, Lafayette Korean 25 - Cynthia (Mrs. Paul) Gilder, Bayou Vista 27 - Cheryl (Mrs. David) Mitchell, FBC Youngsville 28 - Lyndale Holloway, The Bayou

Mission Lafayette - Has a new name, Redeemer City Church and met for the first time Feb. 9 at Cite des Arts Northside - Is hosting the Ministers Conference, March 11 at 10:30 am FBC Lafayette - Is hosting the Bryan College Choir in concert on Thursday, March 13 at 7 pm The Bayou - Is hosting the Ignite Mens Conference March 21-22 Calumet - Is hosting the GCA Brotherhood Breakfast on March 22 at 8 am FBC Broussard - Is hosting the VBS Preview, March 27 from 5:30 - 8:00 pm Highland, New Iberia - Welcomes Kevin Williams as their new Minister of Music Highland Hispanic - Welcomes their new Senior Pastor, Melvin Mendoza Baldwin - Pastor Tony Thibodeaux has resigned as pastor and is moving to Rayville, LA; Bro. Marty Romero will serve as interim pastor

ENTRE-NOUS
Evangeline & Gulf Coast Baptist Associations
P. O. Box 81244 Lafayette, LA 70598-1244 (337) 237-6956 Fax: (337) 237-4319

Non-Profit

Evangeline Baptist Association

3000 W Pinhook PO Box 81244 Lafayette, LA 70598-1244
Phone: 337-237-6956 Fax: 337-237-4319

ORGANIZATION
U. S. POSTAGE

PAID
Lafayette, LA

www.ebalaf. com RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

PERMIT No. 201

Website: www.ebalaf.com
Bert Langley
Director of Missions

James Craft & Nathan Rush

Moderators

Elizabeth Langley
Office Administrator

Melaney Dudley
Administrative Assistant

Mary Langford
Counselor

March 2014
Volume 42, No. 2

http://louisianabaptists.org/churchbuildingconf

Evangeline Association
March 2014
2-8 2-8 4 8 9 11 14 15 22 27 Week of Prayer for North American Missions/Annie Armstrong Youth Week EBA Office Closed - Mardi Gras M-Jam - FBC Rayville Daylight Savings Time Begins EBA Ministers Conference - Northside; 10:30 AM Cajun Connection - EBA Office; 10:00 AM M-Jam - Jefferson Baptist Church, Baton Rouge EBA/GCA Ministers Wives Brunch - EBA Office; 10 AM - 2 PM EBA VBS Preview; FBC Broussard

Gulf Coast Association

March 2014
2-8 2-8 4 8 9 14 15 18 22 22 Week of Prayer for North American Missions/Annie Armstrong Youth Week EBA Office Closed - Mardi Gras M-Jam - FBC Rayville Daylight Savings Time Begins Cajun Connection - EBA Office; 10:00 AM M-Jam - Jefferson Baptist Church, Baton Rouge GCA Executive Committee - Forest Restaurant; 10 AM GCA Brotherhood Breakfast - Calumet; 8 AM EBA/GCA Ministers Wives Brunch - EBA Office; 10 AM - 2 PM

Mardi Gras Alternative Youth Retreat

March 2-4, 2014

Acadian Baptist Center Cost: $45
Contact ABC to pre-register:

Louisiana Baptist Convention

March 2014
7-8 11 21-22 Kreative Artz Camp - FBC Ruston Church Building Conference - Baptist Building RA Congress 2014 - TTBC

www.ABCCamp.com/MG or call 337.457.9047