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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Dew ‘humbled’ by love, trust expressed at NOBTS inauguration

By Gary D. Myers and Marilyn Stewart NEW ORLEANS, La. - The inauguration of Jamie Dew, president of New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and Leavell College, reflected the tone that is the mark of Dew’s new presidency—humility and service like Jesus. Since Dew’s election on June 5, 2019, his challenge to the seminary family, and all who would join him, is to take up the towel and the basin and follow Jesus’ example of serving others. Dew opened his inaugural address by reading from 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 – a passage that describes how God uses the common and humble things of this world to accomplish His purposes. Glory, the passage says, is reserved for God and God alone. “I am humbled to say the least. I feel the weight of this moment unlike any other moment I’ve ever felt in my entire life. I am humbled by the trust that has been placed in me and the love you have expressed to my family and to me,” Dew said. Despite the historic nature of the inauguration, Dew directed listeners’ focus to the mission rather than to himself. He called those gathered to ponder the brokenness of the world and their roles in proclaiming the name of Jesus throughout the nations. Dew thought of the thousands of hurting people in … [Read more...]

Build a lasting spiritual heritage

By Stewart Holloway What is your spiritual heritage? In the Old Testament, we encounter a number of lists of names. Genealogies as well as lists of people going, coming, or making some commitment dot the landscape of the Old Testament story. These lists of difficult to pronounce names are usually met with a quiet grown and a sigh followed by a quick scan to the end and a page turn. The only benefit of the lists seems to be that we get through with our Bible reading plan a little faster that day!... But there are benefits to these lists. Some genealogies are used to fast-forward through time while showing the connections between generations. Others are used to show God’s faithfulness through time or one person’s connection to earlier people. Some lists show people committing to spiritual renewal or doing something historically significant yet difficult (like journeying back to Jerusalem to rebuild the city after the Exile). While you do not have to stumble through every name, you should at least sit back for a moment and ask, “Why did God choose to have these people’s names recorded for all time?” Eugene Peterson writes, “Holy history is not constructed from impersonal forces or abstract ideas; it is woven from names … [Read more...]

2020 Commission update: Reaching the next generation and people’s groups

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Louisiana Baptists are in the final year of implementing the President’s 2020 Commission Final Report, an initiative undertaken during the leadership of Waylon Bailey, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Covington, and the LBC president in 2012-2013. The 2020 recommendations were crafted collaboratively by a commission of 400 Louisiana Baptist leaders, staff members and laypeople, working in 20 subcommittees of 20 members each. Ten “key actions in reaching our state” – known as KAIROS – were developed to engage two audiences – the next generation and every people group. These measures for improving the spiritual health and growth of the state were adopted by messengers at the 2013 Louisiana Baptist Convention Annual Meeting. This article is the first in a series published by the Baptist Message to report what successes have been achieved toward the ambitious goals of the statewide initiative, as well as to note what objectives remain to be done. FIRST AUDIENCE –THE NEXT GENERATION “The LBC Executive Director will form a ‘Next Generation Task Force’ whose assignment will be to 1) study the needs of the younger generation, 2) discover and develop … [Read more...]

Sign up with Home Depot to net cash for Disaster Relief

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) -- A partnership between Southern Baptist Disaster Relief and Home Depot has generated more than $950,000 in funds for disaster relief responses since 2017. This money represents a financial windfall from donations by Home Depot amounting to 5 percent of all purchases made by Southern Baptists who had registered their credit or debit cards for the program. This additional funding from Home Depot stores has supported deployments of disaster relief teams to help impacted areas across the United States, according to Louisiana Baptists State Disaster Relief Coordinator Gibbie McMillan. Funds are given to the North American Mission Board, which disperses money equally to the Southern Baptist state conventions. Rebates from the partnership funded 92 percent of the costs of a $4,500 disaster relief trip taken by an Eastern Louisiana Baptist Association chainsaw team to an area of Connecticut devastated by a tornado in late May 2019, McMillan said. Team members saw four people accept Christ during their week of ministry in Southbury, Connecticut. “What eternal souls are you engaging when you respond to a need like this,” McMillan said. “Only eternity will … [Read more...]

Louisiana declared most pro-life state in nation

By Louisiana Right to Life NEW ORLEANS – Today, the national pro-life policy organization Americans United for Life (AUL) announced that Louisiana is the most pro-life state in America. AUL released its 2020 "Defending Life" report after analyzing progress made legislatively or in litigation in 2019. The annual report contains its annual "Life List ranking all 50 states based on each state's body of law associated with the life issues, ranging from abortion to euthanasia. AUL's decision to place Louisiana at the top of the list was based on the strong Louisiana pro-life legislation passed in 2019, Louisiana’s role in the upcoming June Medical Services v. Gee Supreme Court case, the presence of the Love Life Constitutional Amendment on the 2020 ballot, and the continued bipartisan commitment to the pro-life cause. "We are thankful that Louisiana has been named the most pro-life state in the nation by Americans United for Life," said Benjamin Clapper, executive director of Louisiana Right to Life. "In Louisiana, we are proud of our commitment to the protection of every human life and the safeguarding of the health and safety of mothers. We appreciate our Legislature and Gov. Edwards for their steadfast and bipartisan … [Read more...]

2020 CEC to challenge collegians to ‘Thrive’

By Brian Blackwell, Message Staff Writer ALEXANDRIA (LBM) – The next generation of young professionals will be challenged to be a voice for biblical truth during the upcoming Collegiate Evangelism Conference, set for Feb. 14-15 at Louisiana College’s Guinn Auditorium in Pineville. The theme for the conference is “thrive.” “We are encouraging students to develop in discipleship and understanding and application of God’s word in their lives so they may thrive in Him,” Louisiana Baptists state Baptist Collegiate Ministry Director Mark Robinson told the Baptist Message. CEC will feature three speakers: James Doughty, pastor of First Baptist Church in Monroe, Stephen Daigle, associate pastor of Celebration Church in Metairie, and Robinson. Leading music will be the Jason Lovins Band, a Christian contemporary band from Ashland, Kentucky. Those attending the conference will have a chance to learn about possible summer jobs and missions opportunities at booths manned by various national camp staffs situated throughout the foyer of Guinn Auditorium. Students also will have a chance to attend breakout sessions that center around the conference theme. Robinson said a highlight of the conference each year is a chance for … [Read more...]