By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer
WOODWORTH, La. (LBM) – During its May 5 meeting, the Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board received updates on Cooperative Program giving and the ongoing work of the four convention entities.
BUDGET REPORT
Board members learned that gifts through the Cooperative Program from January to March totaled $260,289.85 more than the 2026 budget for these three months. However, when compared to the same timeframe in 2025, churches have given $85,582.16 less through CP so far this year than last year.
ENTITY REPORTS
LCU
Louisiana Christian University President Mark Johnson shared that his recent inauguration as the school’s 10th president was a chance to bring the community together.
He noted that the university has made significant progress in reducing its budget deficit through stronger financial stewardship, careful evaluation of spending, improved operational efficiencies and strategic leadership decisions across multiple areas of the institution.
Johnson also said the athletic department sees opportunities for future growth through the possible addition of new sports programs, while graduate and online education continue to gain momentum and expand their reach.
Johnson celebrated that students served 13 organizations and nine churches during the first SendLA Day, March 24. This concept is inspired by New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary President Jamie Dew’s “Serve Day” where students serve and evangelize their local community.
He thanked Louisiana Baptists for their support.
“We’re really focused on Proverbs 3:5-6 as we start to move in the right direction,” Johnson said. “We’re trying to rebuild, restore, rebuild and reimagine it for the glory of God.”
LBF
Louisiana Baptist Foundation Executive Director Jared Price said the ministry seeks to provide financial resources to strengthen Louisiana Baptist churches and other ministries as they advance the Kingdom.
He said that since July 1, 2020, $106 million has been achieved toward the Foundation’s Vision 200 (advancing the Kingdom with by $200 million given in 20 years or less).
In 2025, the Foundation held 32 seminars on charitable giving, which he explained educated churches on ways they can use their financial resources that God has entrusted them to reach others for Christ. Additionally, the entity facilitated more than 3,000 gifts that had a more than $5 million impact.
Price also highlighted that the Foundation’s short term fund annualized yield remained at 4.5% and its
group investment fund saw a 12.91% return for 2025. The Foundation ended last year with more than $314 million in assets under management.
He said this year they will continue to focus on growth that will have a Kingdom impact. This includes revamping the Legacy seminar that teaches individuals how to develop an estate plan that will advance the Kingdom. He also highlighted the upcoming ChurchBiz Conference in September, which is designed for pastors, treasurers and church finance teams to cover a variety of topics that enhance church business practices and support effective ministry operations.
“Thank you for your partnership in ministry,” Price said. “We want to endeavor together to advance the kingdom one dollar at a time, one ministry at a time and one life at a time.”
LBCHFM
Newly elected President and CEO David Jeffreys shared that he is humbled and blessed to lead Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and Family Ministries as the ministry continues serving children and families across Louisiana and beyond.
As he shared his vision for the ministry’s future, Jeffreys emphasized one of the organization’s greatest current needs: couples willing to serve as cottage parents in residential childcare.
“We’re two homes short on residential childcare on campus — not because we don’t have the money, and not because we don’t have the facilities, but because we don’t have the people there,” Jeffreys said. “We need people to pray that God would call workers to this ministry and also help us recruit families who may feel led to serve as cottage parents.”
Cottage parents play a vital role in the lives of children placed in residential care, he noted, adding that they provide stability, spiritual guidance, encouragement and the daily love and structure many children have never experienced.
Jeffreys also introduced a new ministry theme that reflects the unified mission of the organization:
“One Home. Eight Ministries. One Mission.”
The theme highlights the many ways Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and Family Ministries serves children and families throughout its various outreach ministries, including:
— Residential childcare
— Granberry Counseling Centers
— Homeplace (provides transitional living for homeless children and their mothers at no cost to them)
— Women’s Learning Center (Christ-centered education and job training for women)
— Connect1Child (off-campus foster and adoption ministry)
— Minister Care (free residential and counseling services to ministers and their families)
— Compassion For Kids
— Orphans Embrace (partnership with Louisiana Reach Haiti)
Each ministry serves a unique purpose while remaining connected through one shared mission — providing love, care, and hope in Christ to children and families in need, Jeffreys said, reminding supporters and board members that the ministry exists to serve Louisiana Baptists and partner churches across the state.
He added that as Louisiana Baptist Children’s Home and Family Ministries enters this new season of leadership and ministry, the organization remains committed to sharing the hope of Christ while meeting the practical and spiritual needs of children and families across Louisiana and around the world.
“We would love to come alongside you in any way that we can,” he said. “Please continue praying for people to come and serve, and for the needs we have as we minister to children and families every day.”
LBM
In his report, Executive Editor Hall reminded board members that the Baptist Message will move to a digital-only format in January 2027 but ensured them that the entity remains committed to Louisiana Baptists’ emphasis on creating a culture of evangelism in the state.
Hall highlighted some of the work the Baptist
Message completed in 2025 as part of this evangelistic focus, including: a monthly series that started in 2025 about the basics of evangelism; the 527 spiritual decisions, including 279 salvations, that were made during the West CENLA GO TELL America Crusade, April 12-15 in Leesville; and about Send Network Louisiana, a partnership with the North American Mis¬sion Board, which went into effect Aug. 1, 2023, that aims to help the state further its God-sized vision to see His Kingdom expanded in Louisiana by one percent over the next decade.
He also emphasized that the news services has put a premium on feature stories that build affinity among Louisiana Baptists, citing the account about homeschooler Anna Richerson, the daughter of Lewis Richerson, pastor with Woodlawn Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, who led Parkview Baptist School to two state championships and was named most valuable player in both tournaments; and a feature about two Louisiana Baptists who contributed to the successful Artemis II 10-day lunar orbit mission.
Hall also encouraged board members to take note of the QR codes that are being placed in the print edition to help print readers migrate to the website.
In his Office of Public Policy report, Hall expressed optimism about several bills on interest to Louisiana Baptists: SB306 (authored by Sen. Rick Edmonds, former pastor with Calvary Baptist Church, Shreveport, and now pastor with First Baptist Church, McComb, Miss.), would make it a crime to obstruct the freedom of worship in the state; HB 294 would allow security teams to forcibly remove people who interrupt worship services on church grounds; and SB 402, which removes the discrimination against Christian schools without stripping protections for students in pre-K programs.
Hall expressed appreciation for a Louisiana Baptist-led 2025 human trafficking rescue effort that took place during the week leading up to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans (resulting in the rescue of 15 children), and urged board members to lead their congregations to take part in anti-human trafficking ministries.
STAFF INTRODUCED
Two newly hired strategists were introduced at the board meeting.
Matt Cate, formerly discipleship pastor with Istrouma Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, began work as Louisiana Baptist Sunday school/discipleship strategist on April 20. Jarrod Muller, pastor with Riverside Baptist Church, River Ridge, was approved by board members as the new director of communications, effective July 1.
GRANTS APPROVED
The Mission Support Committee, which also was affirmed by the Georgia Barnette Louisiana Missions Offering Committee, approved First Unit Building Grants for two church plants: Church Acadiana, Lafayette, and Harvest Church, New Orleans. These grants are used for a church plant to purchase vacant land, an existing building that needs renovation or an ongoing new construction project.
