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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Journey Church celebrates 100 baptisms in 2022

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer PINEVILLE, La. (LBM) – Journey Church is in revival and all signs point to this movement of the Holy Spirit continuing for some time. Since January, Pastor James Greer has seen lives changed as they have recorded 222 salvation decisions and 43 baptisms. “I’ve never seen anything like what has happened the first four months of this year,” Greer told the Baptist Message. “It’s not what we are doing but what God is doing.” Originally Lee Heights Family Church in Pineville, the congregation moved in 2009 to the former site of Donahue Family Church and changed the name to Journey Church. Since then, the congregation (which averages 562 in Sunday worship and baptized 105 in 2022) has celebrated the baptism of 1,072 new members into the body of Christ and witnessed hundreds of other spiritual decisions, including repentances to restore fellowship with Christ, and commitments to vocational missions and ministry. The congregation’s core value, “Growing People Change,” facilitates growth. Meanwhile, its message to the lost, “I mess up, you mess up, we all mess up,” helps start conversations to convey the truth that Christ is the answer. That mindset is what drew Arlene … [Read more...]

SBC task force recommends pro-LGBT Guidepost Solutions for additional role

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force has recommended the Southern Baptist Convention Credentials Committee hire Guidepost Solutions to establish and maintain a “Ministry Check” website database for those credibly accused of sexual abuse, according to Baptist Press, the news division of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee. The Pathway, the news service of the Missouri Baptist Convention, reported that the task force’s recommendation of Guidepost was made despite criticism about Guidepost’s open support of “Gay Pride” month. Last June, Guidepost Solutions, which, on behalf of the SBC, published the disputed “Report of the Independent Investigation” about alleged mishandling of sex abuse by the SBC EC, tweeted, “Guidepost is committed to strengthening diversity, equity and inclusion and strives to be an organization where our team can bring their authentic selves to work. “We celebrate our collective progress toward equality for all and are proud to be an ally to our LGBTQ+ community,” the post added. Marshall Blalock, ARITF chairman and pastor of the First Baptist Church in Charleston, South Carolina, conceded to SBC EC members that … [Read more...]

LCU launches Scholars Academy for stand-out high schoolers

By LCU News PINEVILLE, La. (LCU News) – Louisiana Christian University has launched the Louisiana Christian Scholars Academy this fall for high school students looking for a jump-start on their college studies. Those enrolled in the program will have the opportunity to earn 60 hours of college credit, the equivalent of an associate of arts degree in general studies. Additionally, students may attend in-person or remote classes at a cost of $2,500 per semester (for 15 hours of credit, including textbooks). Outside the classroom, Scholars Academy students will have the opportunity to attend campus activities, athletics, chapel sessions, Baptist Collegiate Ministry gatherings and cultural events. They also will have access to the Louisiana Athletic Club. “Parents seeking a Christ-centered education for their high school student need to look no further than Louisiana Christian University and our Scholars Academy,” LCU President Rick Brewer said. “In the midst of a decaying culture, LCSA offers an alternative that promotes God and Country while equipping students with the requisite ‘tools’ needed to approach the world with a Christocentric mindset.” For more information, visit the Scholars Academy website. … [Read more...]

NAMB hires pro-gay D.C. law firm for Mississippi trial

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor AMORY, Miss. -- Court records show the North American Mission Board has added the law firm of WilmerHale of Washington, D.C., to represent it in the lawsuit, McRaney v. NAMB, which alleges the SBC entity illegally interfered in Will McRaney’s employment as executive director of the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware as well as other potential work opportunities. NAMB has already retained ButlerSnow, a law firm of 390 attorneys, that “emerged from being primarily a regional firm to one with national scope,” according to butlersnow. com. The company is based in Mississippi where the lawsuit was filed, and they continue to represent NAMB. U.S. News & World Report lists WilmerHale as “a leading, full-service international law firm with 1,077 lawyers located throughout 13 offices in the United States, Europe and Asia.” Additionally, WilmerHale “clinches the title of most-liberal among the nation’s largest law firms,” according to law360.com (citing a Stanford study). Meanwhile, WilmerHale boasts on its website: “WilmerHale Again Receives 100 Percent Rating on LGBTQ Equality”; “WilmerHale Named Among the Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality”; and “WilmerHale Becomes … [Read more...]

SBC EC releases CP trend report

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The financial office of the SBC Executive Committee released its monthly report for February, and the year-to-date numbers showed Cooperative Program gifts had declined year-to-year for the first five months of the 2022-2023 budget cycle (Oct. 1-Feb 28). Donations were down $7,885,949.66, or 8.77 percent off, compared to 2022. COOPERATIVE PROGRAM $81,993,237.22 (YTD, FY 2023) $89,879,186.88 (YTD, FY 2022) Gifts through the Cooperative Program were 2.35 percent above what was budgeted for 2022-2023, according to Baptist Press. However, there is a two-year lag in the SBC budgeting process, meaning the 2022-2023 budget was based on 2020-2021 Cooperative Program receipts, which were negatively impacted by the global pandemic and substantially less than donations in 2021-2022. So, 2022-2023 gifts are above what was planned based on 2020-2021 numbers, but down from the amount received during 2021-2022. Designated giving for the first five months of the fiscal year also experienced a year-to-year decrease, falling 3.61 percent, or $3,410,637.33 from the 2021-2022 budget cycle, with both the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering and the Annie Armstrong Easter … [Read more...]

‘Value of a soul’ ignites Gilbert revival, awakening

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor GILBERT, La. (LBM)— It is not often that a revival begins with evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit already in sight. But the annual Bill Britt four-day event with the First Baptist Church in Gilbert began with 19 baptisms, reflecting transformed hearts before the first word was preached. Pastor Bubba Ezell told the Baptist Message that lives began to be changed after the congregation committed to showing greater respect for the value of one soul. He said he returned from the 2023 Louisiana Baptist Evangelism Conference in January and told his congregation, “I would sell this building for one soul. I would give it all up for a soul.” He said it was the challenge of “How far are we willing to go?” that created a spark in the church. Ezell emphasized this point by sharing about a particular example within their Amazing Grace addiction recovery ministry, which has about 30 members. “I started asking them to witness to one person a week, and to write it down,” he explained. “Three of our guys led people to Christ.” Other things began happening and before long, he said, “We started getting our hearts right with God about the value of a soul.” “The Holy Spirit is … [Read more...]

IMB: 1,200 missionary candidates in pipeline

By Will Hall, Baptist Baptist Message executive editor RICHMOND, Va. -- The SBC International Mission Board reported that its pipeline for missionary candidates has 1,200 trainees. This is a significant milestone for Southern Baptists, as the number of missionary candidates in 2019 was 300, according to the IMB press release. The goal is to always have more than 1,500 applicants in the pipeline. [This is the number of candidates in line prior to the 2016 drawdown (which focused on eliminating 50-year-old missionaries with five years of field experience) under former IMB President David Platt.] The announcement comes as IMB has suffered an ongoing decline in overseas missionaries for more than two decades, with a significant slide since 2010. IMB reported having 3,527 deployed missionaries (including 126 unpaid "team associates") on February 28, the lowest number of missionaries on the field since 1983 (3,386), counting only paid personnel (3,401) , or 1984 (3,432) if the 126 “team associates” are counted. In 1985, there were 3,597 missionaries on the field. Southern Baptists have given generously to abate the shrinking missionary force, donating record amounts to the last three completed Lottie Moon Christmas … [Read more...]

James to nominate Barber for second term as SBC president

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor LAKE CHARLES, La. – Steve James, pastor of the Trinity Baptist Church in Lake Charles, Louisiana, announced Feb. 13 his intention to nominate Bart Barber, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Farmersville, Texas, for a second term as president of the Southern Baptist Convention during the 2023 SBC Annual Meeting in New Orleans this June. James and Barber served together on the board of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. According to information supplied to the Annual Church Profile, FBC Farmersville reported 14 baptisms in 2022 and averaged 320 in weekly worship. The church collected $1,014,990 total undesignated receipts, with $108,276 given through the Cooperative Program. The church also gave $64,713 to the 2022 Lottie Moon Christmas Offering as well as $630 to the 2022 Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. Barber is a graduate of Baylor University and has both an M.Div. and Ph.D. from Southwestern. He and his wife, Tracy, have two teenage children. Based on reporting by Baptist Press. … [Read more...]

Dedicated FBC Longville serves in the storm

By Britney Glaser, Special to the Baptist Message LONGVILLE, La. (LBM) - August 27, 2020, will forever be a milestone in the life of the First Baptist Church in Longville, Louisiana. In the early morning hours, Hurricane Laura – a category 4 storm with 150 mph winds – struck, tearing off the worship center roof, and damaging sur rounding buildings. The 50 people who had taken refuge in the church found themselves moving from room to room as the roof began to pull free. Then, with the rising of the sun a few hours later, a new reality dawned. “I knew we needed to get started with something,” Pastor Corey Townsley told the Baptist Message. “We didn’t sleep the night before, but it wasn’t like we could get any rest that day with no power. The destruction was overwhelming. We knew we had to start working and serving. Some got to work at the church grounds, others went out to clear roads and people’s homes.” Dedication and service is not new to FBC Longville, a congregation that dates to 1907. The church has a longtime Helping Hands ministry that assists members as well as the surrounding community. Several congregants have trained and served with the Louisiana Baptist Disaster Relief. “Immediately after the … [Read more...]