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Baptist Message

"Helping Louisiana Baptists Impact the World For Christ"

Hunt reveals $610,000 salary; seeks millions in relief from CP

REVISED JANUARY 14 TO ADD A PARENTHETICAL NOTE IN THE THIRD PARAGRAPH. By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor NASHVILLE, Tenn. (LBM) – Just prior to the Christmas holiday, reli­gious news outlets report­ed that the jury trial in the lawsuit by Johnny Hunt against the Southern Bap­tist Convention, the SBC Executive Committee and Guidepost Solutions was scheduled for June 17, 2025, in the U.S. District Court located in Nashville. RECAP Hunt was named in the controversial “Report of the Independent Inves­tigation” about alleged sexual abuse and claims of mishandled cases in the SBC. Released in May 2022 by Guidepost Solutions for the SBC and SBC EC, the report accused him of having groomed a pastor’s wife, 20 years younger than him, (which included time while he served as SBC president, 2008-2010); and having sexually as­saulted her in a Florida condo (July 2010) just weeks after his tenure as SBC president ended with the closing of the SBC an­nual meeting. In an April 2024 de­position, Hunt said that he kissed and fondled the woman’s body for “a couple of minutes” after she had lowered her top and that he pulled down the woman’s shorts before he was convicted to stop and leave. However, his lawsuit is based … [Read more...]

2025 Resolution: Win souls

By Will Hall, Baptist Message executive editor ALEXANDRIA, La. (LBM) – Historians have traced the tradition of New Year’s resolutions to about 4,000 years ago and the ancient Babylonians, who celebrated a 12-day festival of planting at the start of their new year (March) by promising their gods to pay back debts and return borrowed items. Nearly 2,000 years later when emperor Julius Caesar established January 1 as the beginning of the annual calendar, the Romans adopted similar practices, offering sacrifices and promising to be good in the coming year. Today, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are celebrated worldwide, and research indicates that in the United States up to half of adults make some sort of resolution (typically regarding health, fitness or finances, but Bible study and prayer are popular commitments among Christians). However, for 2025, I urge Louisiana Baptists to resolve to do something more meaningful than just “better oneself” – even spiritually. Instead, I call on Louisiana Baptists to make a specific commitment to win souls to Christ! Soul winning is not something new to Louisiana Baptists. Indeed, it is believed that in 1799 Baptist preacher Joseph Willis swam the Mississippi River on the back of … [Read more...]

Life Marches 2025: ‘Every life is worth living’

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – Anticipated thousands of Louisianians will stand together for life at five pro-life marches throughout the state in the coming weeks, according to the lead organizer. The theme for the marches is “Every life is worth living.” “We are thrilled in 2025 to proclaim that ‘every life is worth living’ in Louisiana from the unborn child in her mother’s womb to other vulnerable populations like the disabled and handicapped,” Louisiana Right to Life Executive Director Ben Clapper told the Baptist Message. “We know that we have been in uncharted territory since the reversal of Roe v. Wade with an uptick of propaganda in the press accusing pro-life groups, pregnancy centers, and pro-life people of harming women because of Louisiana's pro-life laws. The truth remains that the pro-life community loves both the unborn child and the mother. Our goal has always been to empower women to choose life in even the most difficult of situations. We, together with nearly 40 pregnancy centers across the state, continue to stand strong, but we need you to show our elected officials and the community that we will never sway in our mission to save lives.” -- Jan. 22 (Lake … [Read more...]

ECON 2025: Create a culture of evangelism

By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer COVINGTON, La. (LBM) – During the upcoming state Evangelism Conference, Jan. 27-28, hosted by First Baptist Church, Covington, speakers will urge Louisiana Baptists to reach their friends and family for Christ and to create a culture of evangelism within their congregations. “When you come to ECON with a group of church members, you will be encouraged and equipped to return home with a renewed sense of urgency to reach your friends and family for Christ,” Louisiana Baptist Evangelism and Church Growth Team Director Keith Manuel told the Baptist Message. “It is powerful when a group attends and then goes home with a unified purpose.” PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS The first session will begin at 1:30 pm on Monday and will feature messages by Leroy Fountain, church health strategist with New Orleans Baptist Association and church planter consultant with Louisiana Baptists, and by Mike Courtney, itinerant evangelist in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and the surrounding areas. Bill Blackmon, president and chaplain with Truckstop Ministries, will share a testimony about his ministry. After a break for supper, the conference will continue at 6 p.m. with a message by Waylon Bailey, … [Read more...]