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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Georgia Pastor Mike Stone to be nominated for SBC president

By Will Hall, Message executive editor VILLA RICA, Ga. (TCI) – Mike Stone, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Blackshear, Georgia, “will be nominated in June to be the next president of the Southern Baptist Convention,” according to a letter released Jan 13. Kevin Williams, pastor of Villa Rica Baptist Church, Villa Rica, Georgia, and president of the Georgia Baptist Convention, released the announcement to The Christian Index, the state convention’s news service. The 2021 SBC Annual Meeting will be held in Nashville, Tennessee, June 15-16. STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT “At this critical moment in our history, Southern Baptists need to be led by a trusted local church pastor with strong convictions about the sufficiency of Scripture, a passion for evangelism, and deep experience in the work of our Convention,” Williams wrote. “Pastor Mike Stone is a trusted leader among Georgia Baptists and I believe he is the kind of experienced pastor and statesman Southern Baptists need.” “The Lord has blessed Emmanuel Baptist with great growth. Yet it is not so large that Pastor Mike cannot relate to the everyday challenges of our pastors and churches. The experience Pastor Mike has helping to lead our state and nearly 25 years … [Read more...]

Louisiana Right to Life: COVID-19 vaccines and abortion

By Will Hall, Message executive editor NEW ORLEANS, La. (LBM) – “We need 100 percent ethical options,” Ben Clapper, executive director of Louisiana Right to Life, is urging Louisianans to demand of elected officials regarding COVID-19 vaccines as well as common immunizations. Clapper issued the plea in a statewide electronic message addressing the ethical concerns in the development and testing of vaccines now being distributed to inoculate citizens against the novel coronavirus that originated in China and since March 2020 has claimed nearly 400,000 lives across the United States, including nearly 8,000 Louisianans, as of January 12, 2021. “Tragically, for years, biological research has used cell lines derived from the fetal tissue of a few aborted babies in the 1960s and 70s to produce and test drugs and vaccines,” Clapper said. He added that the cells harvested from the aborted babies have been replicated indefinitely, and that no further abortions have been performed to procure these cells. But, he said, funding of research using the old abortion-derived cell line was allowed to continue. “And because of that, we still face the issue of vaccines that have utilized the abortion-derived cell lines,” Clapper … [Read more...]

Pro-life marches planned for eight locations, Jan. 23

By Brian Blackwell, Message staff writer BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – The 2021 Louisiana Life Marches have moved to a one-day socially distanced life chain event Jan. 23. Originally, the life marches were scheduled to take place around the state over a three-week period in January and February, but novel coronavirus pandemic concerns caused organizers to alter the format for “Stand for Life, Louisiana.” Only the Baton Rouge event will include a program from 9-10 a.m. on the Capitol building steps and will feature messages, music and prayer that will be streamed live on the Louisiana Right to Life Facebook page. A lineup of speakers will be announced closer to the event date. Attendance will be limited to 500 people, who must register online. Following the event in Baton Rouge, pro-life supporters will gather from 10:30 a.m. to noon at designated locations around the state: -- Alexandria (Intersection of Jackson Street and McArthur Boulevard) -- Baton Rouge (756 Colonial Dr. and also Plank Road in front of St. Isadore Church) -- Bossier City (Airline Drive between Viking Drive and George Dement Boulevard) -- Marksville (Intersection of Ferdinand Street and Tunica Drive) -- Metairie (Intersection of Veterans Boulevard … [Read more...]