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"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Abraham: Planned Parenthood covered up child sex abuse; calls for investigation

By Office of Congressman Ralph Abraham WASHINGTON  – Congressman Ralph Abraham, R-Alto, joined Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo., U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, and other members of Congress in calling for an investigation into Planned Parenthood’s failure to report the suspected sexual abuse of minors in their care. A recent study by Live Action compiled court cases, state health department reports and testimonials from former Planned Parenthood employees that highlight multiple instances where Planned Parenthood failed to report suspected sexual abuse of minors in their care. Planned Parenthood is the largest recipient of Title X family planning funds – about $60 million annually. However, federal law requires Title X recipients to report suspected child sexual abuse, rape and incest. Dr. Abraham, Hartzler, Ernst and 53 other members of Congress sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Sec. Alex Azar on Thursday requesting that HHS investigate the reporting failures to determine whether Planned Parenthood is compliant with the law. “Despite the evidence that reporting problems seem to be a pervasive part of the organization’s culture, Planned Parenthood facilities continue to receive … [Read more...]

Trust and partnership – a recovery program for the SBC

By Randy Adams The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) needs a recovery program.  Followers of Jesus, including those who lead, are not exempt from addiction to power, money, and sex, and we have been reminded of this with jarring frequency over the past few weeks and months.  Deep wounds caused by multiple failures are now festering from infection.  Added to the more public matters is a sick hubris that has caused some to weaponize money and leadership, intentionally hurting others, certain that they are smarter, wiser, or better than “them.”  Much of the focus has been on the resignation of leaders and the firing of a seminary president, and rightly so, but perhaps worse than the headlines is our deficit of trust and partnership that has grown as large as the national debt.  Although trust and partnership have been eroded in multiple ways, the serious erosion of cooperation and trust between the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and denominational partners has led to a collapse in the numbers of churches started and the number of new believers baptized. Many think that we are in the midst of a church planting boom in the SBC.  We are not.  In the past two years we have tallied the lowest number of new church starts in … [Read more...]

Racial reconciliation – the way forward

By Ken Hemphill Paula, my wife and ministry partner, loves Psalm 145:4 “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.” This verse is the preface for the times when Paula and I talk to our grandchildren about the many ways we have seen God at work in our extended family. Believe it or not, the grandkids love these stories about our history and will often ask for us to “replay” certain stories. Among the issues that have been discussed in recent days is the matter of racial reconciliation and social justice and how we should address them as a denomination. Before we look at the present and future, it might be helpful to take an honest look at our past. While no one would deny that some persons and some churches have been less than Christian in their treatment of persons of other races, I think it is important to look at the positive contributions to racial reconciliation that are also part of our collective history. A look at our past Although critics argue that much of the division between Baptists in the North and South was related to slavery, they often fail to point out the role Southern Baptists have played in trying to remedy racism. (I have included several resolutions from … [Read more...]