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"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Dew to NOBTS graduates: ‘Love God, love others’ essential to ministry

By Marilyn Stewart, NOBTS communications NEW ORLEANS, La. (NOBTS) – Jamie Dew, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Leavell College, urged the May 2022 graduates to consider the question that would impact their lives and ministries as they step into a new chapter in life. “What is essential for you, now?” Dew asked. NOBTS conferred twenty-four doctoral degrees, including seven Ph.D.s, two doctor of musical arts, one Ed.D. and 15 D.Min. degrees, and 106 master's degrees. Leavell College graduates received 94 undergraduate degrees and certificates. Dew defined “essential” by saying it refers to something a person cannot do without. After pursuing an education and earning a degree, graduate candidates must remember what is essential and worthy of their full devotion, Dew urged. Dew continued by pointing to Matthew 22:23 and the question the religious leaders posed to Jesus. Though the religious leaders hoped to entrap Jesus, Dew said he appreciated their question for a different reason. “I love that question,” Dew said. “I love that question but not for the same reason [the religious leaders] loved that question …  I want to know the answer because I don’t want to waste my life.” Dew pointed out that … [Read more...]

Richard Land on Southern Baptists’ history of abortion advocacy and the future of the pro-life movement

By Jill Waggoner, ERLC WASHINGTON, D.C. (ERLC) - Richard Land served as the president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission from 1988–2013. Prior to his time at the ERLC, he worked in a variety of church and political roles, many of which were involved closely with the modern pro-life movement in its earliest days. Below, he shares his experiences and brings perspective to the current cultural moment, the story of Southern Baptist involvement in the fight against abortion, and what comes next. Jill Waggoner: Historians have noted that before Roe v. Wade, evangelicals in general were fairly inactive on the issue of abortion. Is that true for Southern Baptists? If so, how did that change afterRoe? What did it take to change Southern Baptists’ mind on this issue?  Richard Land: I was pro-life from the time I was a junior in high school because of an experience I had with a high school biology project. One of my classmate’s fathers was an OB-GYN, and she, as part of a project, brought to class what I now know to be about a 12- to 14-week-old male embryo. It was clearly a human being. That sensitized me to the issue. Abortion wasn’t much of an issue for Southern Baptists until Roe v. Wade. Prior to 1970, the … [Read more...]