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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Trinity celebrates 35 consecutive Sundays of baptisms

Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer LAKE CHARLES, La. (LBM) – Sutton Trombatore had been curious about Jesus for a while but finally realized his need for a Savior in late 2021. Soon after witnessing a baptism at Trinity Baptist Church, Lake Charles, in December, the youngster, 6, had an in-depth conversation about salvation with his parents, Chris and Dani, and church staff members. Sutton accepted Christ at the meeting and on April 24 was baptized by his dad. “I told Sutton that day that he had always been my son, but I now got to baptize him and call him my brother,” Chris Trombatore told the Baptist Message. “There is no bigger reward for a father than getting to baptize your son.” Trombatore is among 125 new converts the church (which averages 1,400 for worship) has baptized, collectively, every Sunday since Oct. 31. Another 53 have professed Jesus as Lord and are awaiting baptism. Pastor Steve James said his goal each year is for at least 100 people to decide to follow Christ and get baptized. Since Jan. 2, Trinity Baptist has baptized 99 and is on pace to have its most baptisms (197) since 2012. James credits the wave of baptisms to the congregation inviting others to attend worship, which many … [Read more...]

Ukrainian refugees accept Christ in Poland, Belarus

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer WARSAW, Poland (LBM) – More than 100 years after Jake Roudkovski’s great-grandfather accepted Christ in World War I, Roudkovski witnessed for himself how God could use war to bring others to a relationship with Jesus, this time with at least 75 Ukrainian refugees. Roudkovski, a professor with New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary as well as interim pastor with First Baptist Church, Zachary, accompanied four of his church members, as part of a 12-member team, to minister to Ukrainian refugees and Belarusian pastors, May 25-June 2. The trip, which included volunteers from Florida and Georgia, was organized by Byelorussian Mission in-country ministry. Team members led Bible studies and worship services for Ukrainian refugees at a hotel leased by several churches in Warsaw, Poland, and they witnessed at least 75 profess Jesus as Lord. The team also led a training conference for 250 pastors in Korbin, Belarus. “God is at work in spite of the brutality of war,” Roudkovski told the Baptist Message. “My great-grandfather was saved in the trenches during World War I in Russia when a British chaplain led him to faith in Christ. God told me back in March -- when we could have … [Read more...]

NOLA BCM chaplain shares Hope with hopeless

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer NEW ORLEANS, La. (LBM) – Since 2020, Baptist Community Ministries Chaplain Doug Daspit has been on a mission to give Christ-centered hope to the people on the streets of New Orleans. Daspit, who joined BCM two years ago, has used even the darkest circumstances as an opportunity to shine Jesus’ light. “Chaplaincy is a cool ministry,” Daspit told the Baptist Message. “It allows me to engage my community in places that a lot of other ministers don’t have the opportunity to step into. There have been lots of ministry conversations, people I have prayed with, individuals I have counseled with and many I shared Scripture with that I never imagined I would be able to do.” During his time with BCM, Daspit has responded to 144 incidents, with the most memorable, so far, a May 2021 shooting outside a Mid-City coffee shop, he said. Hearing a cry for help from a man who was shot, he issued a call via a police dispatcher, Daspit shared. Within a minute, officers and emergency medical services personnel responded. He remained at the scene to offer prayers and comfort until the victim was taken to a hospital, where he recovered. Leaving the coffee shop, Daspit thanked God for … [Read more...]

Horn ‘gives thanks’ for Supreme Court decision, still more work to do

By Steve Horn, Louisiana Baptists executive director Jesus reminds us that we should always pray and never give up (Luke 18:1). Today’s ruling from the Supreme Court serves as a good reminder of that truth. For almost 50 years, American Christians from various denominational backgrounds have been praying and working towards the day when Roe v Wade would be overturned. That day has arrived. While we celebrate and give thanks for today’s decision, we must remember that the decision of a court does not automatically change the heart of man. Children will continue to be conceived apart from a marriage relationship. We must continue to pray for hearts to change so behaviors will change – and only Jesus can change a heart. Abortion will not go away. It will still be legal in many states. No doubt underground abortion clinics will form. Therefore, we must continue our efforts to lovingly offer alternatives, Godly counsel and assistance. It’s not our judgement that will identify us as God’s children. It’s our love. So today, we give thanks to God and to all who have tirelessly worked to bring us to this point. But we also pray God will change hearts so eventually abortion will become unthinkable. Until such time, we continue … [Read more...]

Messengers adopt SATC recommendations

By Baptist Message staff ANAHEIM, Calif. (LBM) – Southern Baptist Convention messengers, during a June 14 report on the Sexual Abuse Task Force, approved the creation of an Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force and a “ministry check” website. The Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force will be authorized to operate for one year, but the time could be extended by messengers at each subsequent SBC Annual Meeting. The task force will work with entity heads to recommend how to pay for reforms and report about their work to messengers at the SBC Annual Meeting. According to a June 8 article from Baptist Press, Send Relief will provide $3 million to fund the proposed recommendations for sexual abuse reform, and an additional $1 million to establish a survivor care fund to provide trauma care for survivors and trauma training for pastors. Send Relief is a joint compassion ministry of the North American Mission Board and International Mission Board. The task force, in coordination with the Executive Committee, will create a “ministry check” website that will maintain a record of pastors, denominational workers, ministry employees and volunteers who have been credibly accused of sexual abuse and who have been or are associated … [Read more...]

Messengers choose not to abolish ERLC

By Baptist Message staff ANAHEIM, Calif. (LBM) – During the June 15 session of the 2022 SBC Annual Meeting, messengers voted against a recommendation that would have abolished the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. It was among 34 motions presented during the meeting, June 14-15, in Anaheim, California. Joshua Scruggs, a messenger from Bethlehem Baptist Church, Jacksonville, North Carolina, moved for the ERLC’s elimination, saying some of actions of the ERLC have caused “needless divisions among Southern Baptists.” Brent Leatherwood, acting ERLC president, said the entity takes the Gospel and truth to the public square and contended the ERLC was needed more than ever, especially with a decision soon by the U.S. Supreme Court that could overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark case that legalized abortion. “I admit that there has been frustration with the various personalities and stances over the years,” he said. “I hear you. When I was given this role, I told our team let us double down on our mission. Because regardless of the personality leading at any given point, our mission remains the same – to equip our churches to ap[1]ply Christian principles to the moral and social problems of … [Read more...]