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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

NOBTS student David Sneed’s life touched ‘thousands’ despite disabilities

By Marilyn Stewart, NOBTS office of public relations NEW ORLEANS, La. (NOBTS) – David Sneed, 65, was plagued by life-long disabilities and health issues. The New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary doctor of ministry student once said he hoped to die in the pulpit, preaching. Those who knew him best say he did exactly that -- his life was a living sermon. Sneed prayed by name daily for about 2,000 people. Once homeless himself, Sneed preached and led Bible studies weekly in New Orleans’ homeless community. Sneed died Sept. 3 in his 12th-story apartment in a senior adult complex in downtown New Orleans—an apartment without an operating window that remained without electricity five days after Hurricane Ida’s landfall. Jacob Crawford, director of City Life NOLA, a ministry which serves the homeless, said Sneed’s life touched “thousands.” “He was the most humble man I’ve ever met,” Crawford said. “He was a man that had very few material possessions -- very few -- but he was the richest man I’ve ever met.” Sneed’s belongings fit into a single plastic tub after his death, a testimony to Sneed’s simple lifestyle, Crawford explained. On a professional networking site, Sneed described his health issues from birth as an “organic … [Read more...]

Kennedy, Judiciary Republicans push back on Biden Justice Department crackdown on parents’ freedom of speech

By Office of Sen. John Kennedy WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) has joined Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and nine other senators in demanding that the Justice Department not interfere with local school board meetings or threaten the use of federal law enforcement to deter parents’ free speech. This comes after DOJ issued a memorandum suggesting federal law enforcement may need to assist policing local school board meetings. “We are concerned about the appearance of the Department of Justice policing the speech of citizens and concerned parents. We urge you to make very clear to the American public that the Department of Justice will not interfere with the rights of parents to come before school boards and speak with educators about their concerns, whether regarding coronavirus-related measures, the teaching of critical race theory in schools, sexually explicit books in schools, or any other topic. Furthermore, we urge you to instruct the FBI and the various United States Attorneys to make clear in the meetings discussed above that speech and democratic processes, like those that occur at a local school board meeting, must be respected,” wrote the senators. “It is not appropriate to use the awesome powers of the … [Read more...]