By Gary D Meyers, NOBTS communications NEW ORLEANS — New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary trustees approved a five-year strategic plan for the seminary and voted to establish a new extension center in Columbus, Ga., during their fall meeting. Seminary President Chuck Kelley also shared news of the record enrollment of 3,952 students. In his report to trustees, Kelley recounted the ways in which God provided for the seminary following Hurricane Katrina. In the 10 years after the storm NOBTS has witnessed the restoration of the campus and the launch of numerous new programs and scholarship initiatives, he said. For Kelley, the most exciting post-Katrina news came at the end of this summer when he learned of the record-setting enrollment of students during the 2014-2015 school year. Kelley said the Katrina experience helped the seminary learn to be a more resilient institution. Defining resilience as “the ability to continue when normal dramatically changes,” Kelley listed four keys to NOBTS resiliency: a comprehensive curriculum (featuring both traditional and distinctive programs); multiple delivery systems (main campus, extension, online, mentoring, travel courses); enhanced fundraising efforts; and a faculty … [Read more...]
Election Night Surprises
Houston residents vote down LGBT equal rights measure... And elsewhere in the country: Pot legalization loses big in Ohio COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio voters rejected a ballot proposal Tuesday that would have legalized both recreational and medical marijuana in a single stroke — a vote-getting strategy that was being watched as a potential test case for the nation. Failure of the proposed state constitutional amendment followed an expensive campaign, a legal fight over its ballot wording, an investigation into petition signatures — and, predominantly, a counter campaign against a network of 10 exclusive growing sites it would have created. It was the only marijuana legalization question on the 2015 statewide ballots. About 65 percent of voters opposed the measure, compared to 35 percent in favor. McAuliffe and Bloomberg Gun control flop in Virginia Republicans retained their 21-19 majority in the Virginia Senate on Tuesday, prevailing in a more than $43 million off-year election battle with Democrats for control of the General Assembly. With Republicans easily maintaining their 2-1 edge in the House of Delegates, the apparent victory by Glen H. Sturtevant in a key Senate race in the Richmond area … [Read more...]
Brooks’ sermon recounts story of God’s protection of daughter after cardiac arrest
By Hillary Husband, Louisiana College Communications PINEVILLE, La. (LCNews) - Dr. David Brooks, senior Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Alexandria, Louisiana, preached a sermon titled “The Right Place, the Right Time and the Right People” Oct. 29 in Louisiana College’s weekly chapel service. Brooks recounted a personal story of God’s divine protection and mercy in his family’s life. In April of 2015, Brooks’ daughter, 31 year-old Payton McCalmont, a mother of two small children, went into cardiac arrest while delivering a lecture to third-year medical students at LSU Medical Center. She was immediately admitted to the ICU at the hospital. After two long comatose days, she awoke with almost no memory of the incident. Brooks related that his daughter’s memory did returned. Recovered, she is doing well by the grace of God, he said. Despite the devastation that befell his daughter, Brooks indicated the value of his daughter having been at “the right place, at the right time, with the right people.” The right place to experience a cardiac arrest is in a room full of medical students at a hospital. Brooks said his daughter received instant medical care, which improved her chances of survival. Brooks related how his … [Read more...]
Ways messengers can participate at meeting
BOSSIER CITY – This year’s annual meeting of the Louisiana Baptist Convention will be held at First Baptist Church in Bossier City on Nov. 9-10, 2015. In order for a church to participate in the business of the convention, they will need to elect messenger(s) to represent them. Messengers elected by their respective church are then able to register and participate in the business of the convention. The Credentials Committee oversees the registration process for the annual meeting. Roger Johnson, LBC Credentials Committee Chairman, notes there are five ways that messengers may be certified to participate and vote at this year’s annual convention. The first and simplest way is for messengers to pre-register using the LBC online program, print out their registration card, and bring the card to the annual meeting. Pre-registration in this way allows messengers to be certified within a matter of minutes, Johnson said. Second, messengers may bring a letter from their church on official stationary stating they are elected messengers. This will allow them to register and be certified to vote. Third, a church officer can phone in the names of elected messengers. Fourth, verification by a fellow registered church … [Read more...]
Conference speakers will encourage pastors to remember their pursuit of their calling
By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer BOSSIER CITY – Pastors will be encouraged to remember the pursuit of their calling during this year’s Pastors’ Conference. Scheduled for Nov. 8-9 at First Baptist Church Bossier City, the annual gathering’s theme is “The Higher Call: Personal Holiness, Preaching, Evangelism,” based on Colossians 3:2. “I want to encourage pastors this year to recognize and reflect on the high call of being a pastor,” said Eddie Wren, president of the Pastors Conference and pastor of First Baptist Church Rayville. “I want to encourage everyone to be there. I think it will be a great time of refreshment and refocus and a call back to the essentials of being a pastor.” The conference will begin 6 p.m. Nov. 8 with music by the First Bossier praise band. Brad Jurkovich, pastor of the host church, will preach the first sermon of the Pastors Conference. Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Director David Hankins and LBC President Steve Horn, pastor of First Baptist Church Lafayette, will preach also during the opening session. The following day, the conference will begin 8:45 a.m. with music by Todd Dubose, minister of music at First Baptist Church Minden. Those preaching during the morning … [Read more...]
LC student is called to Uganda
By Karisa Grant, Louisiana College student/first-person account PINEVILLE – For the past three years, I have studied education and social work at Louisiana College and would not trade that for the world. I have experienced more hands on training for my future than I could have ever imagined. During this time, I have been to Uganda twice and have fallen in love with the people there. After the first trip, my whole world was shifted. It was impossible for me to continue to live my life normally. When I changed my major to social work, I began to see so clearly what God wanted me to do with my life. He is leading me to spend my spring semester in 2016 in Uganda for my senior year social work internship. I will receive class credit because LC is a member of Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, which is affiliated with the Uganda Best Semester Program. I believe God is calling me to the mission of using my education to spread the gospel. I feel blessed to have this opportunity to glorify God and show His love. … [Read more...]
What’s Up With the Local Baptist Association?
By Lane Corley, LBC church planting strategist In Louisiana, there are 32 Associations of Southern Baptist Churches. Each Fall, my job as Church Planting Strategist with the Louisiana Baptists allows me to attend 6-8 of their annual meetings. This year, I attended meetings in several different parts of the state. I love Associations & Associational Annual meetings, because I love LOCAL. And it’s in the local that you can get a glimpse of the Southern Baptist Convention at the ground level. For those of you who don’t know, Associations are basically regional networks of Southern Baptist churches that affiliate based on their geography. We have associations with as few as 15 churches and as many as 120 in Louisiana. Each Association has a Director (the DOM), a slate of officers, and ministry teams that have various functions from church revitalization to disaster relief. Each Association has 2-3 Executive Board meetings each year. Executive Boards are made up of pastors and members of local Southern Baptist churches. Each Association has one Annual Meeting, usually in the Fall, where business is conducted and budgets are set for the following year. Churches voluntarily give a set amount or percentage of their budgets to the … [Read more...]
The “Christian” Use of Razor Wire
By David Crosby, Pastor, First Baptist New Orleans Razor wire now stretches along a 110-mile Hungarian border. The razor wire protects the Christian culture of Hungary from the Muslims, according to Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Jesus is the Christ from whom the word “Christian” is derived. I doubt that Jesus himself would applaud Orban’s use of the word “Christian” to defend his treatment of these desperately poor and frightened neighbors lying at his gates. He would more likely condemn it. Labels like “Christian” or “Muslim” when applied to a nation-state are no longer primarily religious terms. The government and military leaders who use these terms seldom faithfully represent the religious labels they use any more than do their enemies. That makes little difference, though, to those who have captured the word “Christian” behind their razor-wired geographical territory. Cynical politicians know that the fastest way to whip any group into a frenzy is to say that their religion is being attacked. Leading the charge to protect religious belief is a sure road to popular acclaim. Thus do we replace Jesus crowned with thorns with Jesus protected by razor wire. The living Lord Jesus would surely be on the outside of … [Read more...]
Foster receives DSA at annual Louisiana College Founders’ Day ceremonies
By Message Staff PINEVILLE – James Foster has a long, very diverse résumé which includes being a graduate of Louisiana College, a public school teacher, an evangelist, a barber, a pastor, and a trustee at Louisiana College. He can now add being selected as the recipient of the 2015 Distinguished Service Award to his impressive resume. Foster, a 1969 LC graduate, was awarded the DSA during this year’s Founder’s Day ceremonies at the college. In his acceptance message of the award given out each year during Founders Day, Foster, who has served as pastor of Utility Baptist Church in Jonesville since 1996, called the college a “marvelous place” and encouraged the students and others in attendance to serve others. “The word of God says you are bought with a price,” Foster said. “You are no longer your own. You belong to Him. And when you belong to Him, friend, you will serve Him through serving others.” It was Oct. 3, 1906, that Louisiana College was founded as a private, Christian, liberal arts college funded by the Louisiana Baptist Convention. Each year the founding of the college is marked by a campus-wide celebration and special chapel service. This year LC celebrated its 109th year at its annual Founder’s Day … [Read more...]
Ford beats out large field, wins LC’s “Write or Recite” competition
By Norm Miller, Louisiana College communications PINEVILLE – Inspired by her English teacher at Avoyelles Public Charter School, senior Jada Ford of Marksville won the grand prize at Louisiana College’s “Write or Recite” competition, Oct. 15. Sponsored by LC’s Division of Humanities, the contest “provided a venue for young writers to share their creative work with others who share their love of language,” said Dr. Cheryl Clark, chair of the division. “Ultimately, we wanted to provide a space for these students to be publicly honored and rewarded for their efforts because we believe encouraging young writers is an important part of our role as educators,” Clark added. The contest garnered submissions from public, private and home schools in the region. “We had many nicely crafted pieces, so the selection process for the finalists was difficult,” Clark said. “The great participation not only speaks to the talent of Louisiana students, but it also speaks to the dedication of our high school teachers. We are really pleased with the outcome of the event and are already making plans for next year’s event.” Ford, who won a $1,000 scholarship to LC and an iPad, said she intends to enroll at LC next year. The senior … [Read more...]
