First Baptist Church of LaPlace
Pastor's Letter | July 29, 2026
FBC LaPlace family,
God is always faithful! What a Sunday we shared together in the Lord. We experienced the power of God at work throughout our worship gathering. It was a joy to see prayers answered as Raegan and Kenya placed their faith in Christ. We also rejoiced as Jeff and Mikleen Louque came forward to become part of the FBC LaPlace family. What an incredible reminder that only God can do these things!
I also hope you have enjoyed our Summer Psalms series. I want to personally thank each of the men who faithfully preached from the Psalms this summer. My prayer is that this series reminded us that the church is never built around one preacher or pastor—it is built upon God and His Word. Regardless of who stood behind the pulpit, God faithfully used each man as His instrument. We have seen Him encourage, challenge, and transform lives through the preaching of His Word.
As we look ahead to this Sunday, I want to share a few exciting things.
We will have the privilege of observing the two ordinances Christ gave His church—baptism and the Lord's Supper. These are always meaningful moments as we celebrate the gospel together.
This Sunday also marks the beginning of a new sermon series through the book of James entitled Real Faith. I encourage you to prepare your heart by reading James 1:1–18 before we gather for worship.
It is also Move-Up Sunday for our FBC Kidz, Students, and College ministries. We are especially excited to launch a new Young Couples Sunday School class for engaged and married couples under the age of 30. Please help us spread the word to anyone who may benefit from being part of this new class.
I can't wait to gather with our church family this Sunday and see all that God will do in us and through us. Thank you for your faithfulness and for continuing to make much of Jesus together.
Let's continue joining God in reaching people, discipling people, and sending people—here in LaPlace and around the world!
Sing Daily Devotions
One of the greatest blessings for me over the past two weeks has been the Sing Worship Initiative Devotions. They have encouraged my heart every single morning.
The first three devotions this week have been especially meaningful. We began with one of my favorite worship songs, "Here I Am to Worship." On Tuesday, we reflected on the powerful hymn "In Christ Alone," and this morning we worshiped through "Blessed Assurance." What a great way to begin each day—singing truths about our Savior and hearing the Scriptures that inspired these songs.
One of my favorite moments came last week. During the daily devotions, we learned the hymn "All Sufficient Merit," and then on Sunday it was such a blessing to hear our church family singing it together as Dylan led us during the invitation. It was a wonderful reminder that worship isn't just something we do on Sundays—it's something that can shape our hearts throughout the week.
If you haven't subscribed yet, I want to encourage you to do so. You'll receive five short daily devotions each week that are designed to help you begin your day focused on the Lord through Scripture, prayer, and worship. Click the button below to subscribe and start receiving the Sing Worship Initiative Devotions each morning.
Each devotion includes:
- A brief introduction from one of our church staff members.
- Scripture that connects with a worship song.
- The opportunity to worship by singing along with Shane & Shane.
Sing Worship Initiative Devotions Sign-up
ReGroup Sunday School Conference
If you serve as a Sunday School teacher, Sunday School leader, children's ministry volunteer, student ministry leader, or worship team member, I want to personally invite you to join us for the ReGroup Conference at First Baptist Church Lafayette this Saturday, August 1.
I'm excited that we already have 15 leaders from FBC LaPlace planning to attend! If you'd like to carpool, meet at the church at 6:45 a.m. on Saturday. If you prefer to drive separately, we'll see you at First Baptist Church Lafayette between 8:30–9:00 a.m.
Tomorrow is the final day to register, so don't miss this opportunity to be part of a day that will encourage, equip, and challenge you as you serve the Lord through your ministry at FBC LaPlace. Our church is covering the cost of your conference registration, and we'll even provide lunch on the way home. We hope you'll take advantage of this opportunity to grow alongside other ministry leaders who are passionate about reaching people and making disciples.
Be sure to watch the video below to learn more about the ReGroup Conference—and you might even recognize a few familiar faces from our FBC LaPlace family!
FBC Kidz Back-to-School Bash/Missions School Supply Donations
What a great turnout we had for our FBC Kidz Back-to-School Bash this past Saturday! It was a wonderful day filled with fun, fellowship, and opportunities to serve our community. Through the generosity of our church family and community, our Missions Team collected a great number of school supplies for local teachers while also serving plenty of delicious jambalaya and refreshing snoballs to families.
I am so thankful to be part of a church that is passionate about reaching the next generation and living on mission. It is a blessing to see our church family continually looking for ways to share the love of Christ and make a difference in the lives of others.
School Prayerwalking
As a church family, let's prepare for the new school year by covering our local schools in prayer. Join us on Sunday, August 2, at 4:00 p.m. as we prayerwalk one of the schools in the River Parishes, asking God to bless the students, teachers, administrators, staff, and families for the year ahead.
Following our prayerwalk, we'll gather for our Annual Churchwide Fellowship at the Larayo Pool, beginning at 5:00 p.m. Come enjoy a great evening of food, fellowship, and fun as we celebrate what God is doing in our church family.
We hope you'll make plans to join us for both of these special events!
I love serving alongside you,
[Image: Shane Newton]
Shane Newton
Senior Pastor
Also available as Markdown.