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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

NAMB officials say state leaders’ complaints are flattering

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor ALPHARETTA, Ga. (LBM) – The three officers of the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention have casually dismissed a list of concerns about a lack of partnership – views expressed by six state executive directors who stated specific complaints in a Aug. 12 letter to Kevin Ezell, NAMB president, and his trustees, and to the SBC Executive Committee and its president, Ronnie Floyd. Five Western and one Midwestern state convention leaders wrote that chief among their issues was the unilateral approach NAMB has taken with state conventions outside the South with regard to NAMB’s new Strategic Partnership Agreement. Randy Adams (Northwest Baptist Convention), Bill Agee (California Southern Baptist Convention), Joe Bunce (Baptist Convention of New Mexico), Randy Covington (Alaska Baptist Resource Network), Jack Kwok (State Convention of Baptists in Ohio) and Chris Martin (Hawaii-Pacific Baptist Convention), were unanimous in their view that “our longstanding partnerships with NAMB may finally be coming to an end in any meaningful sense.” A news report on that letter can be accessed using the link, baptistmessage.com/six-state-execs. The Aug. 17 reply … [Read more...]

Louisiana Notables

EDITOR’S NOTE: Do you have a Revival, Homecoming, a new pastor, a community outreach or a concert? The Baptist Message would love to share your church news with the rest of the state. It is very easy to do, just send in your information (who, what, where and when) to philip@baptistmessage.com or call 318.449.4345. To get your event in the paper, please submit your information three weeks prior to the event. ON THE MOVE Weston Lindsay was ordained on August 9 and is the new pastor at Pinehurst Baptist Church, Ball. Stuart, wife Angie, Sasser became the new pastor at Philadelphia Baptist Church at Horseshoe Drive, Alexandria on August 2. Brad Delaughter has resigned as pastor of Satsuma Baptist Church. Brian Hevrin has resigned as pastor of Ida Baptist Church to First Baptist Church Vega, Texas. Joe Stutson is the new pastor to Calvary Baptist Church, Slidell. HOMECOMING Alto Baptist Church, Alto: Homecoming, Sunday, September 27, 10:30 a.m. Speaker: Dianne Abraham will share her testimony. Worship: Brothers In Christ. A barbeque lunch will be served following the service. Music Minister: Jay Ellerman. Pastor: Alan Miller. Wallace Baptist Church, Pelican: Homecoming, October 4, 10:30 a.m. Lunch will … [Read more...]

Remembering Bro. Paul Carter

By Rubin Weaver FARMERVILLE, La. – There aren’t many people in this world who pass and the world feels like it’s immediately a worse place because of their absence. ­ This was my first thought the day I got the call Paul Carter had stepped into eternity. “Preach”, as he was known by those close to him, stepped into heaven while on a trip with his family to visit his son. He was a family man, husband of 62 years to Mrs. Audie, a father second to none to his 3 sons, a minister of the gospel for 65 years, a mentor, a pastor, and a friend to all. He was an outstanding gospel preacher. I heard a funeral outline once that said “He Lived. He Loved. And He Left.” He pastored numerous churches in our area. He served in evangelism in states all over our country. God used him to start churches as near as Rocky Branch, La., and as far as Wasilla, Alaska. He served in various leadership roles in our state, our convention, and each association he was a part of during his pastorate. He was also a commercial fisherman. ­This was how he often made his living pastoring bi-vocational Churches, starting new works, or in seasons of full time evangelism. He was a tremendous fisherman who fi shed for fun, fished for a living, and fi shed … [Read more...]

EDITORIAL: Biden pulls a Hillary, ignores Louisiana’s storm victims

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – It’s a presidential election year, Louisiana has suffered another devastating natural disaster, and as Yogi Berra has said, “It's déjà vu all over again." In 2016, presidential candidate Donald Trump came to Louisiana just days after the August floods (at that time, the worst natural disaster in the nation since Hurricane Sandy hit the United States four years earlier), and he even made a personal donation to the relief effort. However, his opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton continued with her fundraising soirees in the tony Hamptons of New York, sending a social media note, instead, that she was “closely monitoring” the situation. Her campaign promised she would visit the victims “at a time when the presence of a political campaign will not disrupt the response.” But Louisianans are still waiting. Now President Trump, running for reelection, has again prioritized getting help to the state, visiting just two days after Hurricane Laura’s landfall. Meanwhile, his opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden, has issued a statement saying, “we will come back and we will be there to help you build back better.” Biden had campaigned in … [Read more...]