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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Freshman Fresina crowned Miss LCU 2024

By Elizabeth Clarke, LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) – Ailynn Fresina, a freshman theatre major from Zachary, took home the title of 2024 Miss LCU along with a full one-year scholarship, Oct. 5. “I am so incredibly honored to have received this title and represent LCU at the upcoming Miss Louisiana pageant in June,” Fresina said. “Receiving this title has already proven to be a wonderful experience, and I can't wait to get even more involved in the community of Pineville and the student body here at LCU.” Fresina will compete in the Miss Louisiana Pageant in Monroe in June 2024 and will represent the university at all functions this academic year. She is a member of BCM, ballet, lyric theater and musical theater. Her career plans are to direct musicals at a Louisiana high school. LCU President Rick Brewer, along with Miss LCU 2023 Jocelyn Holt, crowned Fresina and presented her with flowers. Five candidates vied for the title of Miss LCU 2024. The other four candidates were: Victoria Watson, a senior convergence media major concentrating in journalism, New Iberia Kristin McKee, a freshman elementary education major, Benton Samantha McCollough, a junior psychology major, Oakdale McKenzie Young, a … [Read more...]

Louisiana church self-insurance advisory board OK’d

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer WOODWORTH, La. (LBM) – In response to the church insurance crisis that is pressing on congregations across the state, Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board members approved, during their Sept. 26 meeting, an advisory committee to help identify strategies and resources to secure one-time funding to launch the state legislature approved self-insurance program. BACKGROUND Louisiana lawmakers passed legislation in June, now signed into law by the governor, that established a church self-insurance trust. However, a separate funding line item for the trust was deleted during negotiations between the Senate and House. Consequently, multiple approaches are underway to secure one-time funding from the state and federal governments and possibly other sources to assist with setup costs. In the meantime, efforts are beginning to complete “no cost” steps while the funding appeals proceed. The push to help churches began in March when Steve Horn, executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, reached out to the Louisiana Baptist Office of Public Policy to share that churches were contacting his office about insurance nonrenewal notices and soaring premiums due to … [Read more...]

UL baseball players score big at Bayou Church

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer LAFAYETTE, La. (LBM) – The University of Louisiana-Lafayette baseball team has high hopes for the upcoming baseball season, but three players celebrated victories Sept. 10, when they were baptized at the Bayou Church. Surrounded by 50 teammates and athletic department staff, Andrew Herrmann, Carson Flono and Riley Marcotte were baptized by Matt Deggs, UL head baseball coach. Before he baptized each player, Deggs cited a memory verse and gave each player a challenge. They were among 10 new believers baptized during the service and 73 since January. “There are wins and there are losses,” Deggs said moments before the baptisms. “And then there is victory. Victory in Jesus Christ. It is for freedom that Christ set you free.” The three players made decisions to follow through with baptism after hearing Deggs share the Gospel in August during a team meeting, and again at Bayou Church with their teammates. In that service, Pastor Sean Walker shared a message about how to replace broken soundtracks with God’s truth through a relationship with Christ. “Talking with the coach this week, this is what I learned,” Walker said. “He’s not a baseball coach first. He’s a baseball … [Read more...]

Entities report good news to executive board

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer WOODWORTH, La. (LBM) – During a Sept. 26 meeting, Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board members approved the 2024 Cooperative Program giving plan and were updated on the ongoing work by the Convention’s four entities. BUDGET REPORT Board members approved the business and finance committee’s 2024 financial plan based on Cooperative Program contributions of $18,080,569, an increase of $502,560, or 2.86 percent. Cooperative Program projections are based on actual receipts from August 2022 through July 2023. The allocation formula for distributing Cooperative Program gifts between Southern Baptist Convention and Louisiana Baptist causes changed for 2024, 62.87 percent forwarded to support ministries in the state (a decrease from 63.26 percent in 2023) and 37.13 percent forwarded to fund national entities (an increase from 36.74 percent in 2023). The budget will be presented to messengers for approval during the 2023 LBC Annual Meeting. ENTITY REPORTS Louisiana Baptist Foundation President Jeff Steed said $36.95 million in ministry support overall has been realized since the July 2020 launch of the LBF’s Vision200 (impacting the Kingdom with $200 million through the … [Read more...]

Jenkins to lead LBC missions, ministry team

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – James Jenkins, the new Louisiana Baptist missions and ministry team director, shared a God-sized vision to help advance the Kingdom by one percent and lead the way to having a 2000-church state conven­tion by 2033. Jenkins, who has served in the interim role since John Hebert retired from the posi­tion in late December 2022, was approved for the role on a permanent basis by the Louisiana Baptist Convention Executive Board during a Sept. 26 meeting. “I’ve been in this work for a while, so it’s not brand new to me,” Jenkins told the Baptist Message. “But I am excited to have that sense of stability. I now have been given the opportunity to impact the Kingdom in ways I’ve always wanted to. “I want to thank Dr. Steve Horn, Louisiana Baptist Executive Director, and the Executive Board of the Louisiana Baptist Convention for the opportunity to serve in this position,” he contin­ued. “I’m very mindful of the privilege of serving in this role and want to make sure Louisiana Baptists get a big return on investment.” “I want to also thank the men and women who serve on the mission and ministry team. We are dedicated team serve through women minis­tries, disaster … [Read more...]

Louisiana Notables

EDITOR’S NOTE: Do you have a Revival, Homecoming, a new pastor, a community outreach or a concert? The Baptist Message would love to share your church news with the rest of the state. It is very easy to do, just send in your informa­tion (who, what, where and when) to philip@baptistmes­sage.com or call 318.449.4345. To get your event in the paper, please submit your information three to four weeks prior to the event. ON THE MOVE Jerry Masters retiring as pastor at Red River Baptist Church Jack Norman is the new pastor at The Well, Monroe. HOMECOMING Welcome Home Baptist Church, Dodson: Homecoming service, October 8, 10:30 a.m. with Sanctuary Quartet. Pas­tor: Charles Wesley. Brushy Creek Missionary Baptist Church, Bancroft: 149th Year Homecoming, October 8, 10 a.m. – til. Speaker: Robet Gillis. Please bring your favorite covered dish for fellow­ship lunch. If you have any questions call Mike Streams 337.287.8367 or Velma Suchanek, 337.842.1569. Unity Baptist Church, Pineville: Homecoming, October 8, 11 a.m. Sunday school starts at 10 a.m. A meal will follow the worship service. Pastor: James Brown. Lakeside Baptist Church, Converse: Inaugural Harvest Reunion, October 14, noon until. Church members and … [Read more...]

Southern Baptists fight for control of U.S. House

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor WASHINGTON (LBM) – Eight Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives together with 208 Democrats voted, Oct. 3, to oust Kevin McCarthy, a member of Valley Baptist Church in Bakersfield, California, as speaker. Matt Gaetz, a member of First Baptist Church, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, initiated the removal process, filing a motion, Oct. 2, to vacate the office of speaker, which precipitated the vote of no confidence that removed McCarthy from this key leadership role. McCarthy had known of his precarious position since January when he failed to win the office of speaker after 14 votes. He was successful on the 15th ballot only after he agreed to several concessions to a core group of Republicans, including Gaetz, who were reluctant to back him. One of the changes was made to the rule about the motion to vacate. McCarthy agreed to allow a single person to request such a vote instead of the previous requirement that a majority of the speaker’s party bring the issue to the floor. Consequently, eight Republicans, out of 220, were able to swing McCarthy’s ouster. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, a member of St. Catherine of Siena Church in Metairie, Louisiana, and Rep. … [Read more...]