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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Seminaries: Training NextGen to engage culture

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – The presidents of the six Southern Baptist seminaries held a joint report, June 14, and shared how they continue to prepare the next generation to engage the culture for Christ. NOBTS New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary President Jamie Dew welcomed SBC messengers to the city and told them the city is a great training ground for ministry anywhere in the world. “We have said from day one that we believe if you can do ministry in our city, you can do ministry anywhere because this city brings everything to bear on your formation and on your ministry,” he said. “We have a little bit of everything here. We’ve got Baptists, we’ve got Catholics, we’ve got brokenness, we’ve got opportunity, we’ve got wealth and poverty.” Dew said that theological education matters now perhaps more than ever before as they train the next generation of leaders. “Consider the brokenness and the chaos and the confusion of our cultural moment,” he said. “At every single turn there is a wrong idea, a mistruth at play in the lives of those people that are going in those directions. Which means correcting those lies, those mistruths with the truth of God’s word is … [Read more...]

ARITF reauthorized for another year

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – A year after voting to form a task force to investigate sexual abuse allegations in Southern Baptist churches, messengers to the 2023 SBC Annual Meeting, June 14, extended the Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force another year. Additionally, the task force announced the formation of a new website to help churches keep track of “credibly accused’ individuals and access a toolbox with prevention resources and response information. The page, found on sbcabuseprevention.com, offers resources such as a sample application, sample reference questions, sample interview questions, Fair Credit Reporting Act Summary of Rights and authorization for background check form. Marshall Blalock, chairman of the ARITF and also pastor of First Baptist Church, Charleston, S.C., told messengers that an allegation alone will not place anyone on the list. Rather, he said the “credibly accused” individual will be investigated by a licensed and qualified firm, have the charge or charges reviewed by an independent Christian legal team, and have the opportunity to appeal. “My heart breaks for those young people who have been burdened with this horrible pain,” Blalock said. “So where do … [Read more...]

Saddleback, two other churches disfellowshipped by SBC messengers

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – Messengers voted, June 13, to disfellowship three churches who were found to be "not in friendly cooperation" with the Southern Baptist Convention. The tally of three ballots was revealed the next morning, June 14. During the Tuesday session of the 2023 Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting, representatives from Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California (three ordained women pastors), Fern Creek Baptist Church, Louisville, Kentucky (female senior pastor), and Freedom Church, Vero Beach, Florida (mishandling of sex abuse allegation), made appeals regarding their respective cases. After each of these speakers, a representative of the Convention responded. Messengers then cast a ballot vote. The results were overwhelming to sustain the disfellowship of each congregation: Fern Creek, 9,700 (91.85 percent) "for" and 806 (7.63 percent) "against" expulsion; Freedom Church, 9,984 (96.46 percent) "for" and 343 (3.31 percent) "against" expulsion; and Saddleback Church, 9,432 (88.46 percent) "for" and 1,212 (11.36 percent) "against" expulsion. BACKGROUND All three congregations were voted out as SBC members in February by the Convention's Credentials Committee … [Read more...]

Crossover, Serve Tour yield 336 decisions for Christ

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – A weekend of block parties, door-to-door witnessing, prayer walks, compassion projects and other evangelistic efforts produced a spiritual harvest of 336 known decisions for Christ, June 9-10. During the North American Mission Board report, June 13, Southern Baptist Convention messengers were told that 84 Crossover and Serve Tour events across Houma, New Orleans and the Northshore had 1,300 volunteers from 21 states. Furthermore, the events drew 12,180 individuals and resulted in 3,487 Gospel conversations. Louisiana Baptist Executive Director Steve Horn (joined on stage by Serve Tour Coordinator Alex Brian, Crossover Coordinator Jacob Crawford, New Orleans Baptist Association Executive Director Jack Hunter, Northshore Association Missions Strategist Don Pucik, Bayou Baptist Association Director of Missions Joe Arnold, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary Professor Preston Nix, Louisiana Baptist Evangelism and Church Growth Team Director Keith Manuel and NAMB Send Relief and Send Tour National Project Director Sammy Simmons) said he was thankful for those who helped during Crossover and Serve Tour. “What a blessing this year has been for us to prepare for … [Read more...]

FIRST-PERSON: Gaining altitude – WMU celebrates 135 years of SBC missions

By Sandy Wisdom-Martin According to an insect identification database, 647 types of bugs and insects are found in Alabama. Some downright scare me. I looked at images of each until I located the entry most resembling the flying insect I watched from a chair on my back deck. I believe it was a common whitetail skimmer dragonfly that captured my attention. I can’t be totally sure since there are 5,000 species of dragonflies. I’m comfortable with that guess since the common whitetail is prevalent in North America. The behavior of the dragonfly drew my interest. It dipped below the top of the deck railings. Then it kept circling inside the deck over and over again because it thought it was trapped by the rails. Only by gaining altitude could it break free from perceived captivity. Watching the dragonfly provided a good lesson. Often, we are caught in a continuous loop, unable to rise above self-imposed limitations. Gaining altitude would enable us to see a larger picture and view things in new and different ways. It was 135 years ago when 32 delegates from 12 states endeavored to gain a new perspective and caught a vision for how God wanted to work in their midst. Woman’s Missionary Union was birthed. Those who have gone before … [Read more...]

LBC pastor Philip Robertson elected SBC EC chairman

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee members, during a June 12 meeting, elected Philip Robertson, pastor of Philadelphia Baptist Church, Deville, with a second campus in Alexandria, as the next chairman. After two votes (36-35 in favor of Russ Barksdale and 35-35) did not produce a winner by the needed majority, Barksdale of Arlington, Texas, withdrew his name. Robertson said in a news conference after the vote that he was humbled at the confidence his fellow EC members placed in him. “Just to have this opportunity is very, very humbling,” Robertson said. “But also I realize it’s by the grace of God that we are where we are. I‘ve always had a desire to serve as faithfully and effectively as I could. “I think I speak for every [EC member]: We are not looking for extra things to do,” he continued. “So, we value the privilege and the responsibility to serve. I’ve always wanted to do that in the best way that I felt I could, so therefore I allowed my name to be place in nomination and here we are.” Robertson said several individuals approached him about submitting his name for the position. After much prayer he agreed, but only when David Sons, … [Read more...]

Adding souls to the Kingdom, make it count

By Philip Timothy, Baptist Message managing editor NEW ORLEANS (LBM) — Spiritually, the math is not adding up for the state of Louisiana. And Steve Horn, executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, wants to see that change. In his greeting to the more than 700 volunteers from the Southern Baptist Convention of Virginia, Oklahoma, Missouri, Oklahoma, North and South Carolina), Saturday, June 10, for the beginning of Send Relief ‘Serve Tour’ and North American Mission Board’s Crossover at First Baptist Church of New Orleans, Horn said too many people in this state have no relationship with Jesus Christ. “Louisiana is a state of 4.6 million people, “Horn said. “Eighty percent of the people live at or below the I-10 corridor of which a quarter lives in New Orleans. “We also believe when we follow census numbers that 155 people die each day in Louisiana,” he continued. “Missionally — when we study these things — 70% of Louisiana is lost. Therefore, 108.5 or 109 of those 155 have no relationship with Jesus Christ. If they would die today, the Bible tells us they would spend eternity in hell.” “The Bible tells us very specifically in the early church in the Book of Acts that everyday … everyday … the Lord was adding to … [Read more...]

Salvations, first responder appreciation lunch among Crossover efforts in Covington

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer COVINGTON, La. (LBM) – Two Covington churches took to the streets of their community and subsequently saw five individuals come to Christ and many others request prayer, June 10. First Baptist Church reported two decisions for Jesus while New Zion Baptist Church recorded three who put their faith in the Lord. Additionally, FBC hosted an appreciation lunch for first responders after members canvassed their community with the Gospel. The efforts were part of “Crossover,” a large-scale evangelistic effort, that took place in 65 locations, collectively, in Bayou Baptist Association, New Orleans Baptist Association and North Shore Baptist Association, June 10. Sean Barnes, a member of FBC Covington and director of the church’s Community Evangelism Network, said a teenager and her brother accepted Christ during a team’s visit to their home. “I was tearing up as we led them in the sinner’s prayer,” Barnes said. “It was so awesome seeing God work and letting their hearts be tender and receptive to the Gospel.” Meanwhile, Wayne Ivey, a member of New Zion Baptist, along with his wife, Dianne, and church member Brenden Spears, who recently accepted Christ, led a young … [Read more...]

Celebration Church baptizes 17 during block party

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer VIOLET, La. (LBM) – Seventeen people went all in for Jesus, June 10, during a block party at Celebration Church’s Lower St. Bernard campus, participating in believer’s baptism. One by one, each person came in and out of a water-filled portable trough and was greeted with applause during the church’s first ever “Jesus Fest” block party. According to Pastor Trevor Truitt, Thirteen who were baptized made a decision during the block party and four others already had planned on being baptized during the event. Additionally, 19 children came forward at the block party and will be contacted for follow up. “We knew God was a part of this and He just blew our mind,” Truitt told the Baptist Message. “Our church is very evangelistically driven and understand what it means to be a fan of Jesus but not a follower. Because of that, we understand the need to win others for Jesus and help them grow deeper in the faith.” Truitt said he was grateful for each person who were baptized during the “Jesus Fest” block party that featured Gospel presentations, games, inflatables, face painting, cotton candy, music and food vendors. The evangelistic event was a combined effort by the Lower … [Read more...]